Our Group and What it Does

The Frog Decline Reversal Project, Inc.

As someone interested in frogs, you have probably heard already that amphibians the world over are disappearing and, here in Far North Queensland, we are one of the world's "hot spots" for frog decline with several high-altitude species already feared extinct. On the coastal lowlands, species previously thought to be very common and secure are also losing ground rapidly. This is what is meant by 'frog decline' and it can apply to any frog species - not just those which are already classified as 'endangered' or 'rare'.

The situation in Cairns is becoming very dire for frogs and our Founding President wanted to do something measurable and proactive to help frogs. So many times, she has heard concerned people TALK about conservation and TELL the public how they have to do something to help the environment - but talk goes nowhere without action and a vehicle for action. Having volunteered for groups in many different environmental areas over a period of over 30 years, our Founder knew what she wanted and DID NOT want in a community group. When she decided to start up a new group to be based in Cairns, the setup was going to be decidedly different to most other groups.

The FDR Project, Inc. is a typical association with a committee, members and volunteers. But from there, it differs. Even our unusual name has been chosen to make it clear up front that we are different and to highlight the goal-driven nature of our activities. In the corporate world, a project is setup to accomplish a specific task such as create a new computer system or oversee the construction of an exhibit. A project should not 'chase its own tail' and become a self-perpetuating mechanism without an achievement at the end. The nature of a project is to achieve the goal which renders the project fulfilled (and therefore, terminated). We are a project that exists to try to reverse the downward spiral of frog populations in this region. Our motto is perhaps, "We don't TALK about conservation - we DO it".

We do not have a regular members' meeting once a month. Many groups find that such meetings are generally poorly attended and the challenge is always there to find an entertaining speaker and hope that they are actually able to make the meeting. We also do not produce a newsletter on a regular schedule, opting instead for a brief (4 page) update or double size issues when possible. We call our updates "What's Jumping" and aim to send out at least two or three a year. In between these, emails and phone calls keep members in touch.

Instead of newsletters and meetings, we are a very hands-on outfit doing rescue and rehabilitation of amphibians every single day. We encourage members to be active at our facility but being a 'financial member only' still helps our work. What we can do really depends on the amount of financial support we have coming in. Rescue and rehab is expensive but there are many other strategies which can be used to help frogs provided we have the support to cover them. If you want to know more about us, you might visit the many sections in this site. If you have any questions after that, just flick us an email!