 | RBCN
Richmond Birdwing Conservation Network Bring back the Birdwing Butterfly A project of Wildlife Queensland | Community members, conservation groups and representatives from local, state and federal agencies can become members of the Richmond Birdwing Conservation Network. The RBCN is a non-profit voluntary group. |
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| Aims of the Richmond Birdwing Conservation Network |
| Bring Back the Birdwing Butterfly | ||
| a) Planting food plants to re-establish corridors | ||
| By working with Community members and Catchment Groups, food plants for the caterpillars are being planted along watercourses, in gardens and on state lands to provide breeding sites and encourage the Richmond Birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera richmondia) to return to its former range in SE Queensland and Northern New South Wales. | ||
| b) Strengthening and extending fragmented populations by planting Richmond birdwing vines - | ||
| is underway from the D'Aguilar Ranges to the Brisbane River and beyond. The aim is to plant vines continuously along the northern, southern and western parts of the birdwing's range: from Maryborough Qld to Grafton NSW, and west to Toowoomba. | ||
| c) Protecting, propagating, planting and caring for the Richmond Birdwing Vines - | ||
| has started on public and private land to protect the remaining natural Richmond Birdwing habitats. At suitable locations the planted coastal vine (Pararistolochia praevenosa) and the montane vine (Pararistolochia laheyana) will provide sufficient food plants for caterpillars of the butterfly to breed. | ||
| d) Information sessions and newsletters - | ||
| By hosting talks and community workshops, the Network is providing informaiton and raising public awareness about problems that the Richmond birdwing butterfly and other sub-tropical flora and fauna are facing. | ||
| Butterflies are valuable indicators for health and plant biodiversity in local bushland as many depend on one or very few native plant species as food for their caterpillars. The Richmond Birdwing butterfly is no exception with only two natural food plants, one of which is threatened in Queensland. Habitat destruction and disturbance, loss of corridors and larval food plants, the displacement of native vegetation by weed invasions, un-natural fire regimes, drought effects and climate change are the major threats resulting in decline or disappearance of our butterflies. Since the 1980's the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly has been a flagship species for raising public awareness of the loss and fragmentation of habitats in coastal sub-tropical rainforest and for environmental education. The Richmond Birdwing has become extinct from two-thirds of its original range and continues to contract. Coordinated protection of habitats, planting of vines in corridors and re-establishment of the birdwing are essential to halt a further decline in the distribution of the butterfly and local extinctions. | ||
| Click here for contact details. | ||