Our citizen science program has made a really exciting discovery! Earlier this year we conducted an intensive rainforest survey of an area of rainforest in Kuark and identified a species that has never been recorded in East Gippsland. We sent the fern to the Melbourne Herbarium and they confirmed it as Bristly Shield Fern (Lastriopsis hispida). The closest known occurrence of this species is 250kms to the west of Kuark forest. It' s a highly significant discovery and a huge geographical range extension for the species. It shows that we don't know what species we could be losing when VicForests log these areas without doing adequate pre-logging surveys for special values and threatened species.

ABC's AM program came out to the Kuark forest with us and reported on this unique discovery. Click read more to see the media stories.

We've submitted a detailed report to the government on the rainforest survey we conducted and the presence of this rare fern in the proposed logging area. We're calling on them to cancel planned logging operations in the Kuark forest and protect Kuark's biodiversity and rainforests.

Endangered Large Brown Tree Frog (Litoria littlejohnii), has been  rediscovered by GECO volunteer ecologist Rena Gaborov!

The tree frog hadn't been seen for 20 years and was through to have gone extinct until Rena recorded it during a survey for Gliders in April. The government are legally obligated to create a 28 hectare protection zone around the site where the frog was found, however VicForests are allowed to log hundreds of hectares of its habitat within the same catchment. We are currently following up with the government to ensure the protection zone is actually created and lobbying the government to cancel VicForests proposed logging operations within the catchment and the "Green Zone". We'll also be conducting more surveys in the area to better understand where the frog may be living and if it is present in the proposed new logging areas. Come out and give us a hand, particularly if your are a frog expert! Click read more to read a story about this exciting discivery that was published in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

Camp Kuark threatened species survey weekend was a great success! 40 enthusiastic and energetic people from across Victoria and interstate attended and took part in forest walks, flora surveys, rainforest identification workshops, nocturnal spotlighting and Owl surveys.

It was great to meet so many new people, share with them the beauty of the Kuark forest and inform them about the logging that threatens this incredible forest.