The Great Outdoors in Australia

Published 06/13/2023 in Scholar Travel Stipend

Written by Daniel Kim | 06/13/2023

For the past three months, I had the amazing opportunities to study abroad in Australia through the School for Field Studies Program. The program took place in the Wet Tropics Rainforest, located near the city of Cairns. As an environmental science concentrator, this area was a dream study location as it is a region characterized by tropical rainforest, mangroves, and a diverse range of flora and fauna.

The Wet Tropics region contains some of the oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests in the world, with some species dating back over 150 million years. The program I participated in gave me the chance to quite literally see the environments I had learned about throughout my academic career, bridging the gap between my studies and their practical applications.

During my time in Australia, I took several classes which gave me exposure to the natural environment of Australia. Through these courses, I was also able to take part in several field trips. One such was a trip to Fitzroy Island and the Great Barrier Reef, which is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. We were also given the opportunity to explore Australia during our mid semester break, during which I was able to explore the Australian outback. Throughout this outback trip, I was able to experience the stark beauty of the Australian desert and see amazing wildlife, such as dingoes, wallabies, and kangaroos. But the highlight of the trips I was able to take while in Australia was visiting the Daintree Rainforest, a world heritage area that is a host to incredible biodiversity. Beyond just fauna, the immeasurable amount of natural flora, from tiny bryophytes to towering palms, was awe-inspiring. Additionally, seeing Cape Tribulation and learning the history of Australia, from the landings of Captain Cook to indigenous perspectives and history, was beneficial to understanding the country I was in. But of course, the most amazing part of the Daintree Rainforest was seeing the cassowary, an endangered bird species that is truly like no other. Seeing this animal in its natural habitat was unforgettable and has left me with a lasting appreciation for nature.

Beyond the incredible field trips and experiences, the classes I took were informative and practical, providing me with an in-depth understanding of the environmental issues facing the Wet Tropics region. As a biodiversity hotspot, the Wet Tropics region is a critical region the requires preservation, but is facing numerous environmental challenges, such as climate change, habitat lass, and fragmentation. In my classes, I was able to learn the latest strategies for mitigating these challenges and conserving the ecosystems present in the Wet Tropics. One such method that we learned about was revegetation, which includes the planting of trees in areas of deforestation. We were able to put this mitigation process into practice as we worked with an organization called TREAT, Trees for the Evelyn and Atherton Tablelands. Working with this organization allowed me to interact with the community in the Wet Tropics region, whom also had a strong passion for conserving the land they resided on. I was able to have deep conversations with these community members, learning their perspectives and thoughts. This aided me in acquiring unique viewpoints on environment conservation that keeps a balance between environmental health and community needs, similarly to the Milken Institute’s prioritization and commitment to environmental health. TREAT was also just an amazing opportunity to help the environment by planting more trees, which made being a part of these efforts incredibly fulfilling as I felt I was making a difference, even if it was small, in preserving the natural environment for future generations.

As part of the program, I also participated in a directed research project that focused on the flammability of three biomes: the rainforest, savanna, and seasonally dry tropical forest. Our research group conducted extensive data collection and burning experiments to determine which biomes were most at risk for wildfires. We spent several days in the fields at locations throughout Australia, such as the Herberton Range and Chillagoe National Park, collecting data to conduct our experiment. We tested for four main flammability traits, flame height, burn time, burnt biomass, and maximum temperature, compiling this data for each species into a principal component analysis to create a flammability index. This data was looked at the through the perspective of plant functional traits to better understand their effects. Using this, our group was not only able to identify the most flammable, at-risk biome, but also which species were the most and least flammable. Understanding which biome is the most at-risk is critical because we found that rainforests, which are typically believed to be inflammable, are at high fire risk. Our experiment simulated a drying period that may be experienced if a drought occurred and the rainforest species, which is typically moist, did not have many flammability adaptations and thus burned well. As droughts become more prevalent, understanding that rainforests are potentially in danger is beneficial in determining areas of prioritization and methods of land management. Identifying efficient, effective management practices is needed, with one potential method being green firebreaks, which are areas of inflammable flora that can stop fires from spreading. By identifying the plants that were least flammable, we were also able to determine which species could be added to green firebreaks in Australia. This research again helped me to advance innovative ways to address critical global issues, as is a mission of the Milken Institute, and has undoubtedly helped develop my passion for the environment.

In conclusion, studying abroad in Australia was an enriching experience that expanded my worldview and provided me with practical skills for a potential career in environmental science. I am grateful for the opportunity to have seen the unique, beautiful ecosystems of the Wet Tropics and to have contributed to regional conservation efforts. All in all, this was an amazing chance to further my education and become empowered to make a positive impact on my community, making it an excellent example of the Milken Family Foundation’s goals. As I continue my academic career, I look forward to using the environment science knowledge and skill I gained I through this program to help tackle the environmental issues of the future.