Flames forge future for Mount Ballow Mountain Frog

Issued: 20 Mar 2024

Did you know that fire can be used to protect rainforest frogs? Something to think about this World Frog Day.

The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is using strategic planned burns in a collaborative effort to safeguard the endangered Mount Ballow Mountain Frog (Philoria knowlesi) and its only known habitat in the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, west of the Gold Coast.

The Mount Ballow Mountain Frog is a small ground dwelling species found only in rainforests and adjacent forests in the McPherson Ranges along the Queensland New South Wales border.

Critical habitat for several species of rainforest frogs, including the Mount Ballow Mountain Frog, was directly impacted by the devastating Black Summer bushfires of 2019–2020, which severely damaged extensive areas of fire-sensitive Gondwana Rainforests.

To support their long-term ecological recovery following the bushfires, dedicated QPWS rangers teamed up with neighbouring landholders to conduct a carefully planned conservation burn in Mount Barney National Park and adjacent Bartopia and Bulimbah Nature Refuges.

The aim of the burn was to reduce the risk of future bushfires impacting rainforests and to help efforts to control invasive species within the World Heritage Area.

Department of Environment, Science and Innovation Senior Conservation Officer Harry Hines, who was part of the team that discovered the species, said habitat protection played a key role in conservation of the endangered frog.

“The Mount Ballow Mountain Frog is vulnerable to threats including habitat loss or degradation, impacts from invasive species, climate change and bushfires,” Mr Hines said.

“An important step to protect this unique frog species is facilitating natural recovery following the Black Summer fires and protecting its habitat from future fires, and to allow these frogs to boost their population numbers.”

“We have already seen encouraging signs of recovery in the area since the 2019–2020 bushfires, and we hope Philoria knowlesi continues to thrive through our ongoing work to protect Gondwana’s biodiversity.”

The strategic approach of burning fire-adapted vegetation that surrounds the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests and associated habitat not only reduces the risk of future uncontrolled bushfires, but helps curb the spread of pest weeds and promotes the overall health of these forest ecosystems.

Boonah Ranger in Charge Paul Harris said the burn proved to be a physically challenging mission due to the steep terrain of the prehistoric landscape.

“We took advantage of the ideal burning conditions in late February and trekked to the Monserrat Lookout, 1013 meters above sea level, where we meticulously ignited several ridge tops and along rainforest edges by hand,” Ranger Harris said.

“By burning in the wet season and carefully placing spot ignitions we created slow, low intensity fires to make sure we didn’t impact the fire-sensitive frog habitat areas while creating a mosaic burn pattern in the grassy open forest.”

The team covered approximately 490 hectares over four days while carrying out strategic burning to protect neighbouring private property infrastructure along the way.

“Despite facing hot and sweaty conditions, it’s always good to get the opportunity to work with our neighbours to not only mitigate bushfire and pest risk in protected areas, but help out nearby landholders,” Ranger Harris said.

“This is particularly important for the Gold Coast hinterland and Scenic Rim communities who were also impacted by the severe Black Summer bushfires and are still recovering from their experiences.”

The successful execution of this conservation burn underscores the power of community collaboration and proactive land management in protecting and preserving endangered species and their habitats.