Rainforest Rescue, the not for profit organisation that manages the Daintree Buy Back and Protect Forever Project is now wanting to hear from Daintree landholders who would like to have tree planted on their properties.“If you have land in the Daintree area that is cleared or is partly cleared we want to hear from you,” said David Cook project manager with Rainforest Rescue.

The organisation has released their 2008/9 Plant a Rainforest Project report that documents the planting of over 10,000 trees in the Daintree rainforest this year. David Cook says: “This is four times the number we planted last year. Individual people from around the world that love the Daintree and want to see cleared land restored have sponsored the trees along with significant local support from the North Queensland Wildlife Trust”.

The trees were planted in six different properties mostly in the Cow Bay area including properties on Silkwood Road, Buchanan Creek Road., Figtree Road, Cape Tribulation Road., Candlenut Road and Iron Bark Road. Four of these propertieswere planted under a co-operative management agreement with the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) of the Department of Environment and Resource Management. The remaining two were private properties where the trees will be protected forever under law.

“It’s been great working with QPWS staff” said Mr. Cook. “They did the essential clearing of weeds on their properties prior to planting. We have to ensure the weeds are adequately controlled until the young trees can look after themselves – that’s expected to take about two years with Rainforest Rescue managing the maintenance program.”

The trees are a wide mix of local rainforest species of Daintree stock. “We are grateful to Cairns Regional Council for the supply of 3,000 trees from the Mossman Nursery and to the Daintree Cassowary Care Group who supplied 2,000. The remaining 5,000 were bought from Yuruga Nursery that we had contracted to collect seed in the Daintree and grow the trees.

The owner a private properties where Rainforest Rescue planted over 1,500 trees, Robert “Fritzy” Beckers, of Ironbark Road, a retired Petty Officer marine technician with the Royal Australian Navy says: “I’m stoked! My place was overgrown with weeds and not much else. I identified eight different species from a weed book I borrowed but it was really too hard for me get them under control. Now I can just sit back and watch the trees grow. They were planted over the week of my 50th birthday so there was a double reason to celebrate as it didn’t cost me a cent”. Rainforest Rescue used a mix of paid staff and the assistance of Conservation Volunteers Australia to get the trees planted.

Rainforest Rescue plans to continue planting trees in the Daintree and wishes to hear from landowners who are interested in receiving help to plant 500 or more trees on their property. To access the criteria they are requested to contact David Cook on 4098 7933 or email david@rainforestrescue.org.au.