Byfield National Park becomes last line of defence against threat to pandanus

A Central Queensland national park has become the front line of defence against a pest insect that has destroyed thousands of pandanus trees in the south of the state.

Pandanus dieback specialist Joel Fostin has been working with local councils along Queensland’s coast to tackle the pandanus planthopper, which has already destroyed 60,000 pandanus trees in just six years.

“The healthiest sizeable population of pandanus is the Byfield National Park, and thankfully the hopper hasn’t made it there yet,” Mr Fostin said.

K’Gari-Fraser Island once held that title, with the most significant pandanus population in eastern Australia, but lost it with the death of 30,000 trees several years ago.

The sap-sucking planthopper, Jamella…