Protect a Rainforest

TOGETHER WE ARE PROTECTING RAINFORESTS FOREVER

At Rainforest Rescue it’s not often that a single property comes up that leaves all of us speechless, yet Lot 18 Cape Kimberley Road is such a property. With your help, we can protect it forever. YOU make the difference between development and thriving, protected rainforest.

Lot 18 Cape Kimberley Road—the name belies the true majesty of what this area of pristine rainforest represents—is almost 9 hectares of mature Spur Mahogany and Mossman Mahogany, as well as several Silky Oak species including Fishtail Silky Oak, Briar Silky Oak, Cream Silky Oak, and Red Tulip Oak. And so much more!

It provides a rich and vibrant habitat that supports our beloved and endangered Cassowaries, the wonderful spotted-tail quolls, the tree kangaroos, tiny jumping spiders, and large-shelled snails ... the list is significant as is this crucial habitat.

Our Ecological Advisor, Allen Sheather, noted the property’s significant conservation value. “Lot 18 borders the National Park and World Heritage Area on three sides and its western boundary is against a lot that is also as undisturbed.”

Allen noted that the species present, “exemplifies established, mature rainforest— it is missing any weed incursions and has a very high, intact canopy populated by many large buttress rooted trees and not so many mid-canopy species that can often be seen even in good rainforest that has endured severe weather events.”

AND IT IS BEAUTIFUL

"The vegetation found on Lot 18 is Complex Mesophyll Vine Forest on foothills and appears to be a very good example of such. It is completely undisturbed right up to every boundary and beyond", says Allen Sheather, Ecological Advisor for Rainforest Rescue.

It is a sublime expression of Nature at its most beautiful and mere words to describe it do not do it justice; the sights of untouched rainforest, the sounds of silence punctuated by occasional bird calls, the humid richness, calm and sense of serene one-ness with Nature.

IT IS ENTOXICATING

There are times where one connects so deeply with nature and a single property such as this, that to protect it forever is not just an opportunity, but a duty—a duty borne out of the love and admiration for an untouched part of paradise, and because someone must do it.

The only way we will be successful to rescue this very beautiful, very whole, and very worthy parcel of rainforest is together – and today I need you.

Together, we can buy back and protect this outstanding rainforest property.

In this video Justin McMahon, Rainforest Rescue Land Manager, tells us what makes Lot 18 so special.

Dear Rescuer,

Well, it’s already February—and 2021 is really picking up speed. 

Rainforest Rescue is growing and I want you to know what you are making possible.

When I jumped in as CEO just over two years ago, there was plenty to do if we were going to tune-up the organisation to be as effective and to have the kind of impact I knew was possible. 

In the time since, and with the incredible support of people like you, we’ve achieved so many things including:

• Rescued five more pristine rainforest blocks.
• Planted over 20,0000 trees.
• Replaced aging infrastructure and moved our computing operations into the cloud; this future-proofs our efforts and enables remote and COVID Safe working wherever our staff are.
• Rehired every position but one, increased staff capacity and revitalised our internal culture to be one of openness, accountability, compassion and vision for a greener future.
• Added new staff positions for better management of our supporter relationships, improved communications and more effective restoration and land management for better and more positive conservation outcomes.
• Renewed our general membership as part of our commitment to best practices in organisational governance, bringing in new energy and creating a stronger community of support.
• Built a powerful partnership that extends our reach and impact with Queensland Trust for Nature, with whom we rescued the largest block to date at almost 1,000 acres. They’ve also contributed to the rescue of Lot 27 last year and they provide us with extra capacity - help us be more efficient and effective.
• Strengthened and renewed our partnership with Jabalbina Aboriginal Corporation, who will be sharing the work load at our new nursery and helping to identify and restore new rainforest properties. Their role in this new restoration program is central and essential and we are excited to be working together.
• Taken a leap, knowing that you have our backs, to plant more trees! This meant making a big push to both mitigate global warming by increasing carbon drawdown as well as grow the footprint of the Daintree by restoring more ravaged rainforest than ever. As an organisation we have committed to building a large-scale nursery that will ultimately supply as many as 150,000 trees each year. #TimeToGrow!
• Raised over $380,000 so far towards our initial nursery goal of $405,000! This is amazing – and testament to the importance of this new nursery and its future promise.

Seriously, it’s been quite a journey. It is only because of dedicated supporters like you, that we can achieve so much. 

With your ongoing belief in what we do and your stellar support, I am very enthusiastic about Rainforest Rescue, and I see an organisation that is growing and dedicated more than ever to the best outcomes for nature. 

In the year ahead, we’ve planned:

• More rescues – with not one but two rescues underway at this very moment. These will increase the area of an established wildlife refuge connected to the World Heritage Daintree National Park.
• More trees propagated – we’re planning for 75,000 trees by late this year end and a capacity of 150,000 Daintree Rainforest trees annually thereafter.
• More restoration at NightWings – restoring ex-cane fields back to rainforest again.
• New Nature Refuges certified and wildlife corridors further developed.
• And more…

It is a very exciting time—and we can only do this because you believe in us and continue to support with us. 

Thank you for being part of Rainforest Rescue!

Branden and the Team at Rainforest Rescue