South West Forests

The south-west corner of Western Australia is home to the world's only Jarrah forests. These unique forests have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to survive annual drought and in poor, sometimes salty soils. They provide habitat for 150 bird, 29 mammal, 45 reptile, 1200 vascular plant and 17 frog species, many of which have become extinct in other parts of Australia.

Due to logging, mining, clearing for agriculture, disease and other development impacts, these magnificent forests are now half their original size. It's feared climate change is now bringing a further devastating blow.In the 1970s the south-west region of Western Australia experienced an abrupt drop in winter rainfall of 15 to 20%, and temperatures in the region have increased 0.7 degrees over the past 50 years. Scientists from the CSIRO believe the south-west is experiencing the most 'substantial rainfall decrease we have ever observed'. Climate change is being held accountable, although it's believed a natural drying trend is also at play.

The Western Australian government is already concerned the Woylie, or brush-tailed bettong, which recovered from the brink of extinction in 1996 after a recovery program, may again end up on the most endangered list because of climate change.

Stress from this unprecedented drying phenomenon is also being felt on water supplies, agriculture and other industry.