 Biotropica Australia has experience in conducting flora and fauna surveys in a range of vegetation communities across a number of bioregions including the forests of the Wet Tropics, Cape York, Einasleigh Uplands and across Papua New Guinea.
Biotropica Australia's experience in these fields is backed up by close links to the academic community in Australia and overseas, and our staff continue to publish peer reviewed research papers within the scientific literature.
Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea has a diverse range of fauna, encompassing a large number of vertebrate and invertebrate species. This includes some of the tropics most endangered mammals and birds, many of which occur in the most unlikely places.  Knowledge of on-site fauna contributes significantly to understanding and managing the conservation values of a site, and ensuring that fauna are protected to the greatest possible extent from the effects of development.
Biotropica Australia personnel have a wealth of experience conducting fauna surveys in wet and dry tropical ecosystems. This includes utilising a wide range of trap types and methods, including live trapping using our own Elliot box traps and wire cage traps, point sampling, Anabat recording, pit traps, remote sensing cameras, radio transmitter/satellite tracking, hair tubes, sand traps for non-obtrusive studies, and incidental approaches including scats, tracks and log-turning.
Biotropica Australia scientists have a wide range of experience in fauna survey and research. Our experience ranges from radio transmitter studies of tree-kangaroos, intensive small mammal trapping projects running over many years in a range of ecotypes, and EIS (Environmental Impact Surveys) for endangered, vulnerable and near threatened species. |
 Biotropica Australia carries out a number of research projects using our highly qualified team of scientists.
Our most recent work has involved in ecological research into the relocation of various species and the potential of direct seeding as a restoration methodology in Wet Tropical environments.
These research efforts will provide much required information for clients wishing to carry out wide-scale rehabilitation after major disturbance activities such as mining or road building.
 Biotropica Australia provides restoration and rehabilitation advice specialising in tropical ecosystems. Biotropica Australia has provided advice for the planning and management for the restoration of powerline and gas pipeline corridors, road construction slopes, agricultural land and wildlife corridors.
Tropical ecosystem restoration is a company strength. Biotropica Australia scientists and field staff have extensive knowledge of restoration theory and practice, with the capability to design, implement and maintain habitat restoration projects.
Nigel Tucker lectures in tropical restoration at James Cook University and has published an extensive range of related material within peer reviewed scientific literature.
Biotropica Australia also provides the full range of ecological restoration services in the field. Tasks such as pruning, weed management, mulching, planting bush food and forestry plantations and ecological restoration are all performed by our experienced crew.
Biotropica Australia provides a comprehensive range of land management services for both government and non –government agencies, private and community sectors.
Our services include
- Site preparation, tree planting and maintenance in a range of environments and ecosystems
- Fencing and site protection works, including soil stabilisation
- Weed management including GPS site-mapping, training, co-ordinated control and management programs
- Rare and Threatened plant management including translocation of Type A Restricted species and restoration of endangered plant communities
- Management of indigenous food and farm forestry plantations
- Hazard reduction burning, including access and firebreak maintenance
Allwork is undertaken by skilled and accredited staff working under our comprehensive Quality Assurance program. Field crews are fully equipped with four-wheel drive vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, spray equipment ranging from 600l units to knapsack sprays, and small machinery for every task. With our strong tropical focus, our field crews are highly trained in working in sensitive natural environments and are supported by the company's science staff.
Our Field Service Manager is Michael Goddard, who has extensive experience in field operations in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Contact Michael at our Tarzali office for further information.
 Biotropica Australia can provide an assessment of environmental values for a range of properties for clients interested in protecting or enhancing the conservation values of their property.
Biotropica Australia can develop a property management plan detailing environmental attributes and costing for various land use options including bush foods, timber, carbon credits, habitat restoration and foliage plants.
Our service can extend to planting works and property maintenance.
Biotropica Australia can prepare or advise in the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a proposed development or activity. Our experienced staff have a background in impact assessment for the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) and in the mining sector. We can also prepare reports for referrals under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
 Electricity and gas are an essential part of our daily lives, powering our homes and businesses, medical technology and data management systems.
The construction and maintenance of key energy infrastructure means understanding how to maintain a safe and reliable supply of energy, whilst protecting and restoring adjacent ecological processes and communities.
Biotropica Australia specialises in environmental management planning for the energy industry with decades of collective experience in a range of different environments. Biotropica Australia has been developing Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) for the electricity industry across Queensland since 2005.
In addition to this, Biotropica Australia has experience in environmental management planning for other infrastructure including roads, residential and tourism developments, and major construction projects.
Biotropica Australia provides an Environmental Planning service. Environmental planning is a key facet of the development process and will continue to grow in importance as statutory regulations increasingly reflect sustainability objectives.
Development is regulated by federal, state and local government and can be a complex process. Our staff have many years of experience in writing and interpreting environmental planning legislation and procedures. We are able to provide complete project management through the environmental planning process from initial screening and scoping, undertaking the required environmental studies and completing the necessary documentation. Our approach is to work closely with clients, and negotiate with appropriate authorities from the outset, to ensure the best route for our clients to secure their planning consent.
Biotropica director Nigel Tucker has been providing expert witness services for over 20 years and has significant experience in Planning and Environment Court matters. Nigel has been retained by a number of Qld law firms to provide expert legal testimony in relation to flora, fauna and ecological issues across north Queensland. This has included provision of evidence in court proceedings and mediations, backed by his extensive knowledge of Queensland and Australian environmental law.
Biotropica Australia currently provides environmental training and inductions for industry staff and contractors throughout the Wet Tropics region.
Training programs vary from specific areas of interest from the tropical rainforests of the Wet Tropics to general environmental training for industry staff throughout Queensland, and interstate.
Biotropica Australia staff have extensive experience in providing interpretation of and training in, various environmental planning documents, including Environmental Management Plans (EMPs). (Please see Environmental Management Plans above for more information).
Biotropica Australia currently offers a training package for industries working in tropical rainforest environments, and we are happy to develop a training package suited to your needs.
 Biotropica Australia can provide specific site induction and supervisory services to industries and contractors working in sensitive environmental areas including World Heritage Areas, National Parks, Fish Habitat Areas, Marine Parks and other reserves.
Our knowledge of reserve and linear infrastructure management makes us well equipped to provide these specific field services and ensure environmental management systems and training objectives are being implemented.
This service is available to other industries seeking to achieve optimum environmental management outcomes.
 Biotropica Australia provides GIS mapping services throughout Far North Queensland and Papua New Guinea.
Using Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) and ESRI GIS software, staff can prepare maps for a range of uses including Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), Property Maps of Assessable Vegetation (PMAV), Property Management Plans (PMPs) (Please see Property Management Plans above for more information), Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) (Please see Environmental Management Plans above for more information) and clearing permits.
Field surveys are conducted using the latest Trimble handheld real-time DGPS receivers giving sub-meter accuracy. This is combined with both ESRI and in-house software to provide a fast and reliable data collection and upload system. Our staff currently includes a GIS Technician – Lars Kazmeier.
In May 2011, Biotropica Australia undertook the translocation of 4 Livistona decora palms at Collinsons Lagoon, North of Ayr, in preparation for a realignment of the Bruce Highway. A 17 tonne excavator was used for the translocation and all 4 were moved 50 metres from the current alignment. Another six immature Livistona decora were also translocated. Biotropica Australia staff also established 85 native trees and another 15 L. decora on this site as an additional offset for trees to be removed. All plants were sourced from local nurseries to maintain genetic integrity.
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Working closely with ABI Group, Biotropica Australia has been assisting with a range of rare and threatened plant management services including the translocation of ant plants (Myrmecodia beccarii), cycads (Cycas media ssp media), grass trees (Xanthorrhoea johnsonii), orchids and other epiphytes.
A nursery has been constructed to house the many hundreds of grass trees and cycads that were removed in advance of construction, and will be re-planted on-site after construction. Biotropica Australia has been involved in the Cardwell Range realignment project since 2007 and look forward to providing further assistance to the Cardwell Range Alliance with this important project in the future
Biotropica Australia has been working in conjunction with Powerlink Qld to rehabilitate the cleared corridor area below the former Kareeya – Innisfail 132kV and the Woree Turkinjie 132kV transmission lines. These projects are by far the largest de-commissioning and rehabilitation projects undertaken in the Wet Tropics to date with almost 50km of line within the Wet Tropics World Heritage area requiring some form of rehabilitation.
The initial phase of tower and conductor removal was successfully completed in late 2009.
Biotropica Australia's role in this project has been to manage weeds to encourage natural regeneration across the entire corridor, and to plant tube stock depending on connectivity requirements, amenity needs and where active weed control alone is unlikely to foster natural revegetation.
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Throughout 2010, Biotropica Australia worked closely with DERM, local seed collectors, Indigenous groups and nurseries to generate the 33,000 selected plants required for planting along the 26km of Kareeya Innisfail line. In addition to planting tube stock, Biotropica Australia is utilising a spray and release technique through herbicide control of exotic grass and shrub species from within the isolated tree matrix. Restoration is well underway with the tube stock ready for planting in the coming months.
The planting of 11,700 selected local plants has already been completed along the 14.6km of Woree Turkinjie line and a further 12,000 selected local plants have been completed along the 26km of Kareeya Innisfail line. Biotropica Australia established all of these plants and are now in the process of maintaining the area in a weed free state.
Stevia ovata (a new weed for Australia) was discovered by Biotropica Australia staff undertaking an environmental survey in Ergon powerline corridors in 2006 in the Ravenshoe area of Far North Queensland.
Stevia ovata (Candy-leaf) is an exotic herb naturally found at higher altitudes between the southern United States and Venezuela, but is now established in a small area of the western Evelyn Tablelands. Because this is a new record for Australia and so little is known about the plant, Biotropica Australia has been co-ordinating control programs on behalf of a number of clients with properties affected by Candy-leaf. Biotropica field staff have controlled Stevia ovata on Powerlink, Ergon and Stanwell assists with a view to eradication. At this point, no Stevia ovata has been allowed to set seed on these assets for the last 2 years.
Biotropica Australia are encouraging land owners on the tablelands to look for, notify authorities and treat the weed with Glyphosate.
Click here to view the Stevia Ovata Pest Flyer
For more information on Stevia ovata download the Weed Risk Assessment from DEEDI http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/documents/Biosecurity_EnvironmentalPests/IPA-Stevia-Ovata-Risk-Assessment.pdf
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