The Engaging Science Trail is an educational nature trail in Samford Valley with a difference. It explores not just different habitats but also one of TERN’s long-term monitoring sites, allowing visitors to engage with active ecological research infrastructure – making it the first of its kind in south-east Queensland.
Background
The Engaging Science Trail is an initiative between TERN and the Samford Ecological Research Facility (SERF).
The Samford Ecological Research Facility (SERF) is a 51-hectare scientific research property in Samford Valley, south-east Queensland, owned by the Queensland University of Technology. SERF and QUT conduct their own research and education on the property.
In 2010, TERN established a 1-hectare site at SERF, equipping it with ecological research infrastructure to gather data and monitor the environment. At TERN, we call this site the ‘TERN Samford Peri-Urban Site’. The data streams into TERN and can be accessed via the TERN Discovery Portal.
The Engaging Science Trail has been developed as an educational nature trail that visits 12 points of interest, and many of those ‘stops’ are active TERN monitoring research infrastructure.
What is there to experience along the trail?
SERF is home to many plant and animal species, some of which are rare or endangered. Visitors experience a variety of habitats and vegetation types – grasslands, eucalyptus woodland, rainforest and creek/pond habitats. These habitats are especially rich in bird life and TERN has developed a bird survey app especially for its Samford site.
The 12 stops along the trail draw attention to the following:
About the TERN Samford site at SERF
The Engaging Science Trail at SERF explores one of TERN’s long-term monitoring sites, the 1-hectare ‘TERN Samford Peri-Urban Site’.
"In this plot, we measure a range of vegetation, environmental, atmospheric and faunal attributes.
This can include botanical species composition and information about vegetation structure.
We also collect photographic information (e.g. photo points or panorama images); information about the leaf area index (taking photos of the canopy); and data about fauna (camera trapping, acoustic information and invertebrate pitfall trapping)."
What TERN is measuring at the site
Instruments and field methods collect data on the environment to measure ecosystem processes.
Some of the TERN research infrastructure noted along the trail:
- Soil moisture probe measures water availability and soil hydrology.
- Pitfall traps set into the ground help to monitor small ground-dwelling fauna (invertebrates, reptiles, small mammals).
- Acoustic sensors are used to monitor ecosystem health, biodiversity, and presence of certain audible species. For example, the calls of birds, frogs and mammals.
- Eddy Covariance Flux Tower (flux tower) measures greenhouse gases and determines whether an ecosystem is emitting carbon or sequestering it.
Who can experience the trail
The trail is open to large groups such as school and university students. It is also open to the public at certain times during the year. For more information, please enquire through SERF.