PROJECT SNAPSHOT

Location: Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Australia

Action: Planting 1,000 rainforest trees at Barrine Park Nature Refuge, Lake Barrine

Threatened Species: Lumholtz Tree-kangaroo

Habitat: Tropical Rainforest

Total Cost of Project: $10,000

Fundraising update on the 16th of August 2022

Financial need: $10,000

Amount raised: $3,548

Remaining target: $6,452

Please donate now to keep this project growing. 

With your help, we will restore land on the Atherton Tablelands where clearing has occurred in the past. We will establish 1,000 trees to create a corridor between the Lake Barrine section of the Crater Lakes National Park and Wooroonooran National Park. The site where the trees will be established is the Barrine Park Nature Reserve.

The cost of growing, planting, and maintenance for one tree is $10 per tree, so to establish 1,000 trees we need to raise $10,000. 

Please donate now to get this project growing. Every $10 will establish one tree for the Lumholtz Tree-kangaroo.  

Lumholtz Tree-kangaroo - Photo by Steven Nowakowski Panoscapes

The problem

The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau located in Far North Queensland that was once covered in tropical rainforest. Clearing for agriculture began in the late 19^th century and this has removed 50% of the rainforest. The remaining rainforest is broken up into small fragments, creating challenges for wildlife to travel across the landscape.

The Lumholtz Tree-kangaroo spends most of its life in the rainforest canopy. They can travel across open ground, however, this is difficult and they are vulnerable to attacks by domestic dogs.

Due to habitat loss and fragmentation, the Lumholtz Tree-kangaroo is now listed under Queensland's Nature Conservation Act as Near Threatened.

The Solution

We will establish 1,000 rainforest trees to restore the rainforest at Barrine Park Nature Refuge as habitat for the Lumholtz Tree-kangaroo.

Starting in November we will:

• Remove the weeds from the tree planting site.
• Plant 1,000 rainforest trees.
• Then, for the next three years will care for the trees to ensure they all survive. This will involve eliminating competition by removing weeds that germinate on the site.

Planting trees will provide a direct benefit to the Lumholtz Tree-kangaroo as they are arboreal folivores (browsers), eating the leaves of tropical rainforest plants.

Please donate now to get this project growing. Every $10 will establish one tree for the Lumholtz Tree-kangaroo. 

Linking Lake Barrine (Crater Lakes National Park) and Wooroonooran National Park

What type of trees are chosen?

The species of trees are chosen specifically for the tree planting site. Tree species selection is determined by an ecologist and botanist who chooses the appropriate native trees based on the forest type in the area, availability of sunlight, existing plant competition, presence of animals and insects. A mixed selection of native rainforest trees will be planted that provide habitat for the Lumholtz Tree-kangaroo.

Please donate now to get this project growing. Every $10 will establish one tree for the Lumholtz Tree-kangaroo.  

Have we done this before?

Yes, we have been actively involved in the revegetation of the Atherton Tablelands with our partners Rainforest Reserves Australia and have completed many successful projects. 30,000 trees have already been established at Barrine Park Nature Refuge.

Successful tree planting funded by generous donors

Thank you HalfCut

The nonprofit project partner HalfCut is joining us in restoring the Daintree Lowland Rainforest through the Rewild Challenge. Thanks to Jimmy and Jess and all the HalfCut supporters for their help. 

A new partnership between Rainforest Reserves Australia and the Rainforest 4 Foundation will create new rainforest protected areas in Queensland.

Project Snapshot.

Location: Far North Queensland
Action: Care for injured and orphaned Cassowaries
Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary

Habitat: Lowland Tropical Rainforest
Threats: Vehicle strikes and attacks by dogs

Our Partner: Rainforest Reserves Australia  
Total Cost of Project: $2,500 (food for one orphaned Casssowary in rehabilitation) 

The Endangered Southern Cassowary urgently needs your help. Cassowaries are frequent victims of car strikes and dog attacks, often leaving orphaned chicks to starve. When cyclones strike Far North Queensland they often cause devastation to rainforest habitat and a crisis for Cassowaries. For injured and orphaned Cassowaries, the only option for survival comes from Rainforest Reserves Australia and a stay in a “Cassowary hospital” or rehabilitation centre.   

Rainforest Reserves Australia are the only organisation in Australia who care for and rehabilitate Cassowaries before returning them to the wild. At the Garners Beach Cassowary Rehabilitation Centre injured and orphaned Cassowaries receive care, sometimes for up to one or two years, before being released. Cassowaries are also cared for at the Tablelands Cassowary Rehabilitation Facility (near Lake Barrine in the Atherton Tablelands). In 2014 the Garners Beach Cassowary Rehabilitation Centre was threatened with closure. Rainforest Reserves Australia stepped in a saved the day, however, your help is needed to keep the rehabilitation centres operating.

Please make a donation to provide food for orphaned Cassowaries. 

The orphaned Cassowary known as Ben was released into the wild in April 2020

Threat to Wildlife, Climate, People and Planet

Cassowaries are an Endangered species and its estimated that as few as 4,500 adults and sub-adults remain in the wild. Threats to Cassowaries included vehicle strikes and attacks by dogs and results in one Cassowary being admitted to one of Rainforest Reserves Australia’s rehabilitation facilities or Cassowary hospitals, on average, every month.

Through continuing to manage the rehabilitation centres and care for injured Cassowaries we will help increase the number of rehabilitated Cassowaries that can be released into the wild. There they can continue their vital ecological role as seed dispersers for many rainforest plants and assist in the restoration of rainforests in Far North Queensland. Caring for Cassowaries is important to many people in Far North Queensland who join in celebrating them on World Cassowary Day and at the Mission Beach Cassowary Festival. Cassowary Care also helps the economy as they are an icon of Far North Queensland and make a substantial contribution through being a tourist attraction.

The Tableland Cassowary Rehabilitation Facility is located on Barrine Park Nature Refuge and comprises 40 hectares (100 acres) of natural habitat and acts as a pre-release site for Cassowaries prior to their return to the wild. Restoration of the rainforest habitat at Barine Park Nature Refuge will also help address Climate Change as every tree that’s planted takes carbon out of the atmosphere through the natural process of bio-sequestration.   

Please make a donation to provide food for orphaned Cassowaries. 

Solution

Rainforest Reserves Australia has signed a partnership agreement the Queensland Department of Environment & Science to operate the Garners Beach Cassowary Rehabilitation Centre and The Tableland Cassowary Rehabilitation Facility. Rainforest Reserves Australia have the responsibilities for operating the centres and this comes at an annual cost to Rainforest Reserves Australia of $40,480 or $115 per day. These funds are used for Cassowary food, staff to observer and record Cassowary wellbeing, veterinary care and the restoration of habitat in the Tablelands Cassowary Rehabilitation Facility.

To keep the centres operational, we need your support. We are raising just $2,500 to help offset the cost of running the only two Cassowary rehabilitation centres in Australia. Please help care for injured and orphaned Cassowaries by making a tax-deductible donation today.

Please make a donation to provide food for orphaned Cassowaries.