Excerpt from parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/curtain-fig/about:

This park protects a small area of an endangered type of forest, called mabi forest (also called complex notophyll vine forest or type 5b forest). 'Mabi' comes from the Ngadjon word for the Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo. This forest type has several unique features, most notably the semi-deciduous canopy trees, which allow more than the usual amount of light to penetrate to the forest floor. This in turn supports a well-developed shrub layer. It is endangered because most of this type of forest has been cleared for farming.

The large fig tree found in this park is unique because the extensive aerial roots, that drop 15m to the forest floor, have formed a ‘curtain’. Starting from a seed dropped high in the canopy, this strangler fig grew vertical roots, which gradually became thicker and interwoven. Over hundreds of years these roots have strangled the host causing it to fall into a neighbouring tree—a stage unique to the development of this fig. Vertical fig roots then formed a curtain-like appearance and the host trees rotted away, leaving the freestanding fig tree. The tree is thought to be nearly 50m tall, with a trunk circumference of 39m, and is estimated to be over 500 years old.

An elevated boardwalk protects the tree while allowing visitors views of the fig from all angles.

Tags:   australia Curtain Fig Tree National Park I love my pics National Parks Queensland Yungaburra Atherton Tableland

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Excerpt from parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/curtain-fig/about:

This park protects a small area of an endangered type of forest, called mabi forest (also called complex notophyll vine forest or type 5b forest). 'Mabi' comes from the Ngadjon word for the Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo. This forest type has several unique features, most notably the semi-deciduous canopy trees, which allow more than the usual amount of light to penetrate to the forest floor. This in turn supports a well-developed shrub layer. It is endangered because most of this type of forest has been cleared for farming.

The large fig tree found in this park is unique because the extensive aerial roots, that drop 15m to the forest floor, have formed a ‘curtain’. Starting from a seed dropped high in the canopy, this strangler fig grew vertical roots, which gradually became thicker and interwoven. Over hundreds of years these roots have strangled the host causing it to fall into a neighbouring tree—a stage unique to the development of this fig. Vertical fig roots then formed a curtain-like appearance and the host trees rotted away, leaving the freestanding fig tree. The tree is thought to be nearly 50m tall, with a trunk circumference of 39m, and is estimated to be over 500 years old.

An elevated boardwalk protects the tree while allowing visitors views of the fig from all angles.

Tags:   australia World Trekker National Parks Queensland b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l Yungaburra Atherton Tableland Curtain Fig Tree National Park

© All Rights Reserved