THE EVOLUTION OF STEWARDSHIP NOW

From the moment first life began, it began to evolve. And from the moment humans first left footprints on the planet, they began to put pressures on ecosystems and evolutionary systems.

Many ecosystems are now threatened for any number of a variety of reasons, including climate change, pollution, and human encroachment. Some types of ecosystems have become quite rare -- such as Littoral rainforests.

Littoral rainforests are similar to subtropical rainforests, except that they uniquely bridge land and sea, in the littoral zone, which extends from the high-water or spray mark, to permanently submerged shoreline areas, including the intertidal zone. Vegetation has evolved to grow in nutrient-enriched deep sands or soils.

Water shapes the sand dunes, wetlands, and estuaries. It also has enabled the evolution of a greater variety of plant and animal life. Pockets of local humidity, caused by evaporation, create microclimates, each supporting uniquely evolved lifeforms.

While littoral forests have been in decline, isolated pockets still occur, including at Arakwal National Park, Broken Head Nature Reserve, and Tyagarah Nature Reserve near Byron Bay, and others along the eastern coast of Australia. 

Depending on their specific locations, age, and degree of exposure to strong salt-laden winds, these littoral forests have each evolved differently, changing in structure and dominant species.

Mature sheltered stands of conifers, such as Hoop Pine (Araucaria cunninghamii), Plum Pine (Podocarpus elatus), and Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides), can grow quite tall and dense, while those on coastal headlands are mainly wind-sheared thickets.  

Check out the huge eucalyptus groves at the Durras Littoral Rainforest. And experience the largest remaining intact stand of Littoral Rainforest in New South Wales with a visit to the World Heritage listed Iluka Nature Reserve. They are more than beautiful. They are critical.

Cape Byron, the easterly most point of the Australian mainland, extends the forest out to the sea.

The Linnaeus Estate sits on 250 acres of wild land in the middle of one of the Byron Bay area littoral rainforests. 

Its owners are members of a land trust, committed to preserving the wild beauty of this rare landscape and the endemic wildlife. 

Named after the 18th-century Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus, who developed a system for the classification of plants and animals, Linnaeus Estate serves as a steward for a private mile-long forest-fringed stretch of the spectacular pristine Seven Mile Beach, with adjacent vital wetlands and heath lands.

Wallabies hop about, foraging in the forest undergrowth, occasionally venturing out onto the beach. Echidna scuttle through tall marshy grasses. 

A rainbow of endemic butterflies and birds flit from through dense layers of canopy. Eucalyptus blooms amidst endemic orchids and other rare, less showy, yet still beautiful blossoms.

A handful of people with a passion for nature conservancy have beach homes here. They act as custodians for the rich biodiversity of the estate and ensure that the integrity of the sanctuary is preserved for future generations.

The few buildings on the Estate cover < 1% of the property. Renowned architect & developer Phil McMaster designed them to blend into the forest and to be virtually invisible to anyone swimming, boating, or surfing in the sea. They have a luxe Robinson Crusoe vibe in a Treasure Island setting.  

Inspired by lighthouses, each beach house is unique, with multiple decks, offering amazing views of the Coral Sea. One can watch dolphins frolicking every morning and see whales as they migrate back and forth between Antarctica, to the south, and Hervey Bay, to the north, as seasons turn. 

As part of its stewardship, Linnaeus Estate takes its recycling seriously. A few years ago, when the bottom of Sydney Harbour was dredged, for the 1st time in 40 years, it yielded a windfall of colorful timbers from sunken ships, aged and worn beautifully as they marinated in the salt water. Linnaeus acquired it and used this ancient wood in many of its structures, supplementing with recycled hardwood flooring and local timber.

Much of the joinery, masonry, and decorative finishing has been executed by the Estate’s own craftsmen. We especially love the copper roofs, beautifully carved doors, handcrafted railings, and whimsical aboriginal design follies.

Conservation is important here. Part of the land here was formerly used as a dairy farm.

Linnaeus Estate has been committed to replanting it with native trees and plants and encouraging the precious indigenous flora and fauna, once pushed out, to return. We can attest to the fact that it is well on its way, as we witnessed the beauty, firsthand.

Linnaeus Estate is committed to sustainable operating practices. It has it own wastewater treatment plant and provides its own water on site. It optimizes energy consumption and aims to become 100% sustainable within the next few years.

Thanks to the efforts of Linnaeus Estate and other conservation efforts, e natural course of evolution can continue here, in this littoral zone, without interference. And the beauty that it yields can continue to flourish.     

Read more about Beautiful Evolution, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including The Beautiful Evolution Of Mimicry Now, Check Out Evolution’s New Tree of Life, Honoring the Beautiful Evolution of Taste Now, The Incredible Evolution & Art of Bugs Now, The Evolution of Luxury Now and New Surprises About Our Beautiful Evolution Now.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Robert Ashdown. Blue Tiger Butterfly.
2. Image: by Shira White. The Linnaeus Estate. Broken Head, Australia.
3. Image: Courtesy of The Linnaeus Estate. Broken Head, Australia.
4. Image: by Wendy Bithelle, of Vision Walks. Topknot Pidgeon (Lopholaimus antarcticus).
5. Image: by Vanessa Pike-Russell. Eucalyptus Flower. New South Wales, Australia.
6. Image: Courtesy of Travel Stories Holiday. Cape Byron. Byron Bay, Australia.
7. Image: by Richard Rydge. Boardwalk Across a Pond. Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia.
8. Image: by David Robertson. Huge eucalyptus at the Durras Littoral Rainforest. Durras Littoral Rainforest. New South Wales, Australia.
9. Image: by Hector Garcia. Eastern Point. Cape Byron. Byron Bay, Australia. Eastern most point of Australia mainland.
10. Image: Courtesy of The Linnaeus Estate. Broken Head, Australia.
11. Image: Courtesy of Travel Stories Holiday. Cape Byron. Byron Bay, Australia.
12. Image: by Shira White. Linnaeus Estate. Seven Mile Beach. Broken Head, Australia.
13. Image: by Alex Tour du Monde, of 320 Days. Wallaby. Australia.
14. Image: by Elizabeth Donoghue. Yellow Box Eucalyptus meliodora. Australia.
15. Image: by Hans Splinter. Rainbow Lorikeets. Australia.
16. Image: Courtesy of The Linnaeus Estate. Broken Head, Australia.
17. Image: by Neil Saunders. Closer View of the Humpback's Hump.
18. Image: Courtesy of The Linnaeus Estate. Broken Head, Australia.
19. Image: Courtesy of The Linnaeus Estate. Broken Head, Australia.
20. Image: by Julie Fison. Echidna. Australia.
21. Image: by Shira White. Linnaeus Estate. Broken Head, Australia.
22. Image: by Richard Ling. A Stars-and-stripes Puffer, Arothron hispidus, at Statis Rock, Seal Rocks, New South Wales. Australia.
23. Image: by Glen Fergus. Spangled Drongo. New South Wales, Australia.
24. Image: by Bruce Deborah Pearse, of Byron Bird Buddies. Little Corella. Byron Bay, Australia.
25. Image: by Shira White. Linnaeus Estate. New South Wales, Australia.
26. Image: by BN App - Download now!
27. Image: by Shira White. Linnaeus Estate. Broken Head, Australia.