Endangered Black-breasted Buttonquail habitat bulldozed as timber company pledges new protection measures

 

Black-breasted Buttonquail

Endangered rainforest in the Sunshine Coast hinterland - the habitat of what may be the largest surviving population of the rare Black-breasted Buttonquail – continues to be bulldozed during logging operations. During recent visits I was concerned to see that an area of vine scrub frequented by nesting buttonquail in Imbil State Forest had been felled. Subtropical lowland rainforest is listed federally as critically endangered.

Recently cleared subtropical rainforest remnant in Imbil State Forest

The company conducting the harvesting, timber giant HQPlantations, says it has modified management practices to help protect the buttonquail and other threatened species. Vine scrub remnants in the state forest have been a reliable site for the scarce and cryptic buttonquail for at least the past 30 years. The Black-breasted Buttonquail is the only bird species endemic to south-east Queensland. Buttonquail sites in the Imbil area are frequented by other scarce and difficult-to-find birds such as Barking Owl and Black-chinned Honeyeater.

Barking Owl

Remnant areas of lowland rainforest survive among hoop pine plantations in Imbil State Forest. These remnants are protected under Queensland's Nature Conservation Act and Vegetation Management Act; they can not be cleared to expand the plantation estate. However, “native forest buffer areas” remain under the management of HQPlantations.

It was evident that vine scrub has been bulldozed during current logging operations, with rainforest trees obvious among large piles of vegetation debris. A newly cleared 200m strip of scrub, along with the edge of a mature pine plantation which was logged at the same time, was an important feeding and nesting area for Black-breasted Buttonquail.

Newly cleared native vegetation in Imbil State Forest (above and below)

I submitted a plan for the rewilding of the 21,000ha Imbil State Forest in 2019. That proposed a halt to logging hoop pine plantations, facilitating the regrowth of the subtropical rainforest that occurred naturally over the area before it was cleared. I suggested that as a trial, 200ha of state forest plantation adjoining Conondale National Park be left unlogged as rainforest regrowth is monitored. Although this constitutes a tiny fraction of the 330,000ha of state forest in Queensland under the control of HQPlantations, the company rejected the proposal.

Newly bulldozed fire trail

I reported in June last year that well-meaning land-care volunteers were removing lantana from Black-breasted Buttonquail habitat in the area. Lantana is an exotic weed that generally should be removed, but in the case of this species and some other wildlife, it provides a valuable service. The natural habitat of the buttonquail is the lowland rainforest of south-east Queensland, almost all of which has been cleared. Sites where birds survive, like those in Imbil State Forest, are often flanked or invaded by lantana thickets. Buttonquail feed and seek shelter in them; lantana provides a degree of protection from feral cat and fox predation.

Distinctive "platelet" made on the forest floor by feeding buttonquail

In response to that blog post, the volunteers agreed to stop removing lantana. They have planted a large number of trees in an area where weeds had been removed. I found that behind this newly planted stand of young trees, a 200m track has been bulldozed by HQPlantations through another important buttonquail feeding area. I also saw an assortment of empty cans and bottles, broken machinery and other rubbish.

Newly planted trees in what was buttonquail habitat

I failed to see buttonquail during several visits over the past couple of weeks, which is unusual, although some platelets were present. The population appears to be steadily declining. A constant procession of trucks carrying logs and heavy equipment traversed the road dissecting the buttonquail site during my visits.

However, the good news is that HQPlantations responded positively when I approached the company recently, with senior company officers agreeing to meet me on-site. They explained that the recently bulldozed track was intended as a fire break for forthcoming control burns. The company had been unaware of the presence of Black-breasted Buttonquail and other rare wildlife. I was assured that fire control operations would be conducted in a way that took account of the need to protect the birds' habitat. That was reassuring.

Regarding the recent removal of buttonquail breeding habitat adjoining the newly logged pine plantations, there were no clear answers. However, the suggestion was that vine scrub was removed to facilitate access to pine trees being logged, which the company is legally entitled to do.

The company said in a statement: “We use aerial photography, LiDAR (provides high definition ground surface and canopy mapping), original plantation history records and field inspections to ensure our harvesting remains within the original plantation boundary inclusive of old boundary tracks. Our management of areas of remnant native vegetation adjacent to plantations is focused on maintaining biodiversity values and protecting the adjacent plantation resource. This is primarily undertaken via pest and fire management programs. We do not harvest timber products (excepting introduced pine wildlings) from these areas.”

Company bulldozer at the site recently

Expanding more broadly, the company said: “In some instances, we develop and implement additional species specific management procedures where forest activities may pose a significant threat, - for example koala protection during harvesting operations. We collaborate with local groups to improve the protection and management of endangered and vulnerable species. For instance, we are working with the Burnett and Mary Regional group researching Mary River Cod and other threatened aquatic species within Tinana Creek. We are working with groups including the Macadamia Conservation Trust, regarding the Southern Macadamia Species Recovery Plan.”

Remnant rainforest in Imbil State Forest 

HQPlantations also noted: “As agreed under our Plantation Licence, we have several plantations and associated native forest areas which are being progressively handed back to the State Government, following harvest of the current plantation crop, to be transitioned into permanent conservation estate. As at June 2025, there were three such areas still within the Licence Area totalling approximately 1,200 ha (approximately 700 ha plantation).” These are steps in the right direction, but we remain a long way from a satisfactory reserve plan for protect what remains of critically endangered lowland rainforest.

Logging truck Imbil State Forest