Fraser Island Defenders Organisation (FIDO) has wrapped up its first round of Queensland Government-funded Fire Rehabilitation projects.

FIDO volunteers led by Suzanne Wilson have spent the last five months laying the groundwork for future fire rehabilitation projects.

The ongoing projects included:

• Assessing and upgrading the Nursery at Eurong.
• Building community capacity with a targeted volunteer recruitment campaign.
• Seed collection – focusing on Pandanus and dune species impacted by the bushfires of 2022-2021.
• A full spectrum of nursery work to provide an ongoing supply of plant stock.

Twenty volunteers joined us on this project, many new to FIDO.

A project highlight was the collaboration with QPWS, the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation, Cooloola Coastcare, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast TAFE, ECOllaboration, Coolum Native Plant Nursery, and all of the volunteers.  Thanks also to Linda Behrendorff, Jacqui Seal from QPWS and Sue Sargent for advice, guidance, and assistance behind the scenes.

See upcoming newsletters for progress in the Nursery and planting on the dunes.

Contributed by Mark Dwyer, Fraser Island Defenders Organisation