Australia rainforests to be protected

Rainforest conservation in Australia has taken a step forward this week, with two new national parks - Pumicestone and Tewantin - named as such in a bid to safeguard remnant forests.

Some 2,000 hectares were added to Caboolture's Glass House Mountains National Park, which has now almost tripled in size.

The move means that the 490 plant and animal species - such as the threatened black cockatoo, sooty owl, water mouse and wallum rocketfrog - will be afforded greater protection.

Tewantin - all 1,970 hectares of it - is home to the endangered Triunia robusta tree, while Pumicestone, smaller at 164 hectares, will now act as a buffer between the parks and Moreton Bay Marine Park.

Rainforest conservation Down Under could be of increasing importance as a new cancer drug - derived from the seeds of the blushwood tree - is now set for clinical trials, following animal testing that revealed no ill side effects.

Written by Carolina Oberoi

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