Stotts Island Nature Reserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stotts Island Nature ReserveNew South Wales |
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IUCN Category Ia (Strict Nature Reserve)
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Hoop pine & Bangalow palm at Stotts Island
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 Stotts Island Nature Reserve
Location in New South Wales
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| Nearest town or city | Tweed Heads |
| Established | 25 June 1971 |
| Area | 1.41 km2 (0.5 sq mi) |
| Managing authorities | NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service |
| Website | Stotts Island Nature Reserve |
| See also | Protected areas of New South Wales |
The Stotts Island Nature Reserve is a special nature reserve that protects Stotts Island. This island is found in the Tweed River in eastern Australia. It is located in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales.
The reserve covers about 141 hectares, which is like 350 football fields. It is close to Tweed Heads and about 12 kilometers northeast of Murwillumbah. The island was named after James Stott, who was an early worker cutting down cedar trees in the area. He arrived in New South Wales in 1826 after being sentenced for stealing clothes.
About Stotts Island
Stotts Island is made of alluvium, which is soil and sand left behind by rivers. This material has been building up from ancient times until today. The island often experiences floods. When floods happen, new soil and plant material are added to the island. The river also keeps changing the shape of the island through erosion.
Amazing Rainforest
The reserve has a large, untouched part of a special type of rainforest. This rainforest is called lowland sub-tropical rainforest and covers about 77 hectares. Most of this kind of rainforest has been cut down for farms, mining, or houses. This makes the rainforest on Stotts Island very important.
The trees in this rainforest are very tall and impressive. Some of the trees you can find here include hoop pine, Bangalow palm, tuckeroo, Australian red cedar, Francis water gum, and hard quandong. The endangered Red-fruited ebony tree has also been planted nearby.
Wildlife on the Island
Stotts Island is a critical habitat for the endangered Mitchell's rainforest snail. This means the island is a very important place for this snail to live and survive.
Many different animals live on Stotts Island. Scientists have recorded 47 types of birds, 6 types of lizards, 3 types of snakes, and 3 types of frogs. We don't know as much about the mammals that live there.
Protecting the Rainforest
Even though the rainforest on Stotts Island is mostly healthy, some weeds have tried to spread from nearby areas. These weeds include madeira vine, cat's claw, moonflower, and lantana. Luckily, the rainforest on the island itself has not been badly affected by these weeds so far.
