Australian floodplain forests have struggled to regenerate after decades of drought. This study examined how the rare triple La Niña event (2020–2022) affected tree recruitment in Queensland’s Murray–Darling Basin. Successful tree establishment occurred at one-third of study sites, with young trees thriving in open areas with reduced competition. While flooding helps disperse seeds, sustained rainfall is crucial for seedling survival. These occasional but significant recruitment episodes may sufficiently maintain healthy forest populations over time.

Long-term monitoring of birds is important to examine impacts of management and environmental change. We examined the value fractional cover data and rainfall to predict changes in a tropical savanna woodland bird community data from surveys conducted between 2004 and 2016. We found a relationship between the abundance of many species and different combinations of variables. These remote-sensing metrics have a role to play, along with field surveys, in assessing bird community condition and change over time.