Threats to the World Heritage Area

Climate change and associated extreme weather events are the most significant threat to the Area.

Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and more frequent extreme weather events are changing the rainforest and the plants and animals that depend on it. Climate change affects every part of the Wet Tropics and increases pressure on species found nowhere else in the world. It can also make other threats, including invasive species, altered fire regimes and disease, more severe.

To learn more, explore the Accept, Act, Adapt: Climate Adaptation Plan for the Wet Tropics 2020─2030.

Invasive species are plants, animals and diseases that do not naturally belong in the Wet Tropics. Some spread quickly, outcompete native species and disrupt rainforest ecosystems. Warmer conditions are allowing some invasive species to expand their range, while new species continue to arrive.

Managing invasive species requires coordinated action across governments, landholders, researchers and the community. One example is the Wet Tropics Management Authority's Yellow Crazy Ant Eradication Program, which targets one of the world's most destructive invasive ants.

Weeds are one of the biggest threats to the Area. More than 500 invasive plant species have been recorded across the region, including many of Queensland's highest-risk weeds. Some grow so quickly that they smother native plants, take over wildlife habitat, increase erosion and even change how fire behaves in the landscape.

New weeds often spread after cyclones, floods and other disturbances. Because the Wet Tropics provides ideal growing conditions, it is a priority area for weed management. Finding and removing weeds early is one of the most effective ways to protect rainforest habitats and World Heritage values.

Feral animals such as pigs, cats, dogs and deer can damage habitats, hunt native wildlife, spread weeds and diseases, and pollute waterways. Because they move across large areas, managing their impacts requires cooperation between landholders, communities and government agencies.

Management tools, including fencing, trapping, shooting and poisoning, are used to reduce their impacts while protecting native wildlife.

New diseases can spread through rainforests and waterways, threatening species that have evolved in isolation for millions of years.

Diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses and parasites can seriously impact native plants and animals. They can spread through water, air, soil, living organisms and even dirt carried on vehicles, equipment and footwear.

Early detection, monitoring and strong biosecurity practices are critical because outbreaks are often difficult to detect until significant damage has occurred.

Before World Heritage listing, large tracts of Wet Tropics rainforest were logged or cleared, leaving many forests isolated from one another.

Habitat fragmentation happens when large areas of forest become broken into smaller patches. Animals then find it harder to move, find food and breed, while forests become more vulnerable to weeds, disease and fire. Reconnecting habitats helps wildlife move safely through the landscape and improves ecosystem health.

While clearing within the Area has been greatly reduced since listing, parts of the surrounding bioregion continue to be affected by population growth, agricultural intensification and development. Protecting and restoring habitat connections helps strengthen resilience and supports the long-term movement and survival of native plants and animals.