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QUT Samford Ecological Research Facility

Engaging Science Trail

SERF TERN

Stop 8 of 12

Screenhouses and reforestation

Research infrastructure

Open pasture used for insect screenhouse research and an active riparian reforestation project.

Look forLook for open pasture with insect screenhouses and the reforestation plantings along the creek bank.

Watch field note

A short video connected to this stop.

Researcher working with an insect research box inside a screenhouse

Captions, transcript and media credit pending confirmation.

What this is

  • Insect screenhouses are used to study pest and beneficial insects: their life cycles, how pests affect plant health, and how biological control can improve horticultural yields.
  • Since 2018 this pasture has been undergoing reforestation to restore the degraded creek bank and re-establish native riparian species.
Why it matters
  • The 1950 square metre reforestation area was overgrown with introduced pasture grasses and environmental weeds, which have now been eradicated.
  • More than 1650 new tree species have been planted to enhance biodiversity at SERF, increase wildlife habitat and improve soil stability.
What to notice
  • The screenhouse structures across the open pasture.
  • The reforested creek-bank plantings alongside remaining pasture.
Research connection

Combines entomology and biological control research with active ecological restoration on the same working site.

Source: QUT Engaging Science Trail, Stop 8

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Next on the trail

Stop 9: Blue Gum

Follow the loop toward the old-growth Blue Gum.

Orientation assist

The next stop is roughly east from here. Use the trail map and site signs or markers where available to stay oriented.

When you arrive, look forLook for a large Blue Gum, 300 to 400 years old, much wider than any other Blue Gum around it.

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