Community & Business
29 February, 2024
First of 12,000 trees kicks off rainforest restoration project
NEARLY 12,000 trees will be planted to revegetate 3.5 hectares of rainforest on the Atherton Tablelands, thanks to a partnership between Dairy Farmers and Rainforest Rangers.
Dairy Farmers is working with the Rainforest Rangers’ Restoring Habitat for Endangered Species Program to plant 11,900 trees by June 2025, and contribute to the conservation of the region's unique biodiversity.
Forests on the Tablelands provide essential habitats for a variety of plants and animals, including the endangered southern cassowary and the vulnerable Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo, and reversing the decline of these endangered species requires restoring and protecting the rainforests that feed and home the animals.
“We are proud to partner with Rainforest Rangers, investing $100,000 to support their important reforestation initiative in the Atherton Tablelands, the only tropical dairy farming region in Australia,” Bega Group executive general manager Darryn Wallace said.
“At large, this initiative deepens our commitment to the local community in which the Malanda site has operated in for over 100 years.
“The Dairy Farmers brand has a rich history in the region and is proud to continue this legacy through its ongoing commitment to the land.”
The not-for-profit Rainforest Rangers are thrilled to be involved in the project.
“This partnership will enable us to return a large swathe of cleared land to rainforest habitat, which will have significant outcomes for biodiversity on the Atherton Tablelands,” Rainforest Rangers CEO Richard Christian said.
“We are excited to work with Dairy Farmers to raise awareness about the importance of rainforest conservation and inspire others to take action.”
The reforestation project will involve planting a wide variety of native tree species, including lemon aspen (Acronychia acidula) white ash (Alphitonia petrei), and the blue quandong (Elaeocarpus grandis) - a favourite food source for the endangered southern cassowary.
These trees will enhance rainforest connectivity and buffer surrounding World Heritage-listed Areas, resulting in healthier ecosystems, greater habitat for threatened and endemic cool-climate species and safer passage for wildlife traversing the landscape.
