I’ve just spoken with Joe Reichl, Rainforest Rescue’s man on the ground up in the Daintree about the impact of Cyclone Yasi and the situation this morning. Joe, a long time Daintree resident reports that “it was a really big storm. The forest looks pretty beaten up. Yasi knocked down a lot of large trees and sheared off the tops of many more. The remaining trees were ‘thinned’ with leaves and branches breaking off. There is now a carpet of leaves and twigs covering the ground”.

Joe Reichl Planting Trees for Rainforest rescue

Joe’s main concern is our Daintree Rainforest Plant Nursery. Joe said “It would have copped a beating”. He said he hadn’t been out to inspect Rainforest Rescue’s properties just yet or the tree planting sites, however he will do that as soon as he can and will send photos in the next few days. He reports that “The Cape Tribulation Road was blocked until 8.30 am this morning and the Daintree River Ferry was shut down until this morning. The noise of the cyclone was like standing behind a 707, it was just a huge roar. We only got one hour’s sleep. There is alot of damage to clear up now, we’ve copped a real flogging. There’s a giant repair job to be done.”

While it’s too early to say what the full impact of Cyclone Yasi on the Daintree will be Rainforest Rescue will continue to monitor the situation and post another report once we have a more detailed account. Until then our thoughts are with everyone in Far North Queensland as they start the recovery process from Cyclone Yasi.

Kelvin Davies
CEO
Rainforest Rescue

Words by Kaleigh Wisman, Images by Jon Sturge

The sweat! The sun! The bugs! But the trees, my goodness, the trees! Tree planting isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.

This June, my partner Jon and I had the opportunity to do some re-generation work in the Daintree for Rainforest Rescue. We worked alongside David Cook, the Daintree Conservation Project Officer (a lovely man), as well as Conservation Volunteers Australia (a diverse group of eager planters) as we planted 4,000 trees over two weeks. We planted two sites: one of which was a residential property that had been bought back by the Queensland Government; the other site was a privately owned and inhabited site that was mostly covered in Guinea Grass, a weed which the owner was more than happy to replace with rainforest trees. Read the rest of this entry »

Rainforest Rescue long term supporter Wendy Johnson has made a movie about the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, Australia.  Rainforest Rescue has been instrumental in purchasing 10 properties in the Daintree and is about the buy the 11th property, which will be protected forever under a conservation agreement.

“There are another 200 rainforested properties we could purchase so that residential development in the area is kept to a minimum” said Jeni Cavanagh, long term supporter and Administration Manager of Rainforest Rescue.

Watch Wendy’s movie here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wU2kytIXhQ

Scientific research suggests that the White Lemuroid Possum native to Queensland’s Daintree rainforest may have become the first mammal to become extinct due to man-made global warming. The cute white furred possum (Hemibelideus lemuroids) has not been seen by researchers since 2005.

Professor Steve Williams, director of the Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change at James Cook University, said that the white lemuroid possum was identified as highly vulnerable five years ago. Read the rest of this entry »

Rare and Threatened Plants identified by Bob Jago, Environmental Officer, Cairns Regional Council, on Lot 14 Daly Road, RP 740684 (property # 10); evidence of the property’s use by the endangered Southern Cassowary and examples of other interesting plants on the property. Read the rest of this entry »

Well known for their luxury adventures into inspiring parts of the world, Abercrombie & Kent have recently partnered with not for profit organisation, Rainforest Rescue, to protect one of Australia’s most inspirational regions, the ancient rainforests of the Daintree. Read the rest of this entry »

In the1980’s David Suzuki helped secure World Heritage Listing for the Daintree Rainforest. Now the internationally acclaimed broadcaster, journalist and biologist is making his voice heard again as a spokesperson for Rainforest Rescue. Read the rest of this entry »