Cairns EcoFiesta 2022

The 2022 Cairns EcoFiesta at the Munro Martin Parklands was another fantastic event this year. At the Rainforest Rescue stall, I was joined by Emily and volunteers Simone, Mark, and one of our #NextGenRainforestRescuers, Daisy. We had so many wonderful conversations that inspired folks to take action and to get involved to help protect and restore rainforest.

Left image: Simone, Martin, Emily, Daisy & Mark  /  Right image: ABC’s Costa Georgiadis & Daisy

We had a great presence at the festival and a good-looking stall set up in the workshop space—this allowed us to display my photography, which included two large 1.5 x 1 metre canvas prints. (These are still available to buy as a fundraiser for the new nursery – click here to visit my website.)

It was fantastic to refer to these large eye-catching prints, the first of which was a majestic Mahogany Tree and Fan Palms at Lot 18 Cape Kimberley Road. I enjoyed discussing Lot 18 with eager festival-goers who were thrilled to learn about the positive impact that Rainforest Rescue is having.

The second large print showed off the South Arm of the Daintree River on a misty morning near NightWings where recently, 137 volunteers planted over 2500 trees! All the rain that NightWings receives nurtures our recent tree plantings and flows on into the wetlands and Daintree River out to the Great Barrier Reef. Having this project which restores and increases the health of rainforest ecosystems from what was a mono-crop of sugar cane is vitally important and lessens the nutrient runoff into the waterways and reef.

Costa – Gardening Gnome of ABC’s Gardening Australia – spotted Daisy sporting her ‘Plant a Rainforest’ T-shirt and asked her to join him up on stage to help host a quiz and announce winners! Costa is so full of life and energy!

Some #NextGenRainforestRescuers spotted in their ‘Plant a Rainforest’ t-shirts at Cairns Eco Fiesta 2022 – Photo courtesy of Tate Media

Straight after Costa, I was able to screen four of my videos and talk about my work with Rainforest Rescue, what our projects are achieving, and our current campaign to create a new nursery that will increase tree production from 12,000 seedlings per year to up to 150,000 per year!

I received great feedback from many of the audience who came up to our stall afterward. One gentleman even said that my video of Lot 18 was the highlight of his festival and that it had transported him from Cairns back into the lush rainforest.

It was a long day from 7:45 AM till 7 PM, though thoroughly worthwhile and enjoyable — having these great conversations continues to fill my cup which is overflowing with enthusiasm and gratitude. For more photos, check out the ECOevents Cairns Facebook page

-Martin Stringer

PS. We also had a visit from a French film crew with whom I have been filming aerial footage for an exciting 52-minute documentary. The focus of this documentary will be on Rainforest Rescue, the Great Barrier Reef Legacy, JCU‘s scientific research at the impressive Daintree Rainforest Observatory Crane, and this unique part of the world. The film will be screened in Europe at the end of 2022 and will be distributed internationally in both French and English versions. Stay tuned for more info!

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