A lot of the at least 20,000 seedlings that are propagated annually at our Rainforest Rescue Nursery are growing strong! Joe Riechl, our Land Manager now says the seedlings have ‘grown so much, some are almost waist high now!’ After a lot of watering and weed control the little rainforest trees are thriving! Thank you so much for enabling this huge achievement to be reached through BioPak’s investment in funding the regeneration and planting of rainforest trees.

Watch the video and Joe Riechl will show you how much the trees have grown, he also points out some of the all important seed filled cassowary poops!

Lots of other flora and fauna on BioPak’s Piece of Paradise on Lot 46 are getting busy as we move near spring, with Cairns Birdwing Butterflies now being spotted and lots of active cassowary sightings as Joe explains in the video.

The reason it is so important that Lot 46 be preserved through your Hectare is because this land harbours high biodiversity and protects critically important habitat for a range of flora and fauna species that are listed as threatened. It is located in a very strategic position for protection and movement of biodiversity in relation to upland – lowland interactions and movement in the lowlands. The reforestation and preservation of this important lowland area has significantly and measurably improved habitat values and protected and enhanced World Heritage values in the landscape. Without these efforts Lot 46 would still be covered in weeds and a haven for pigs and other feral animals. What was once weed impacted and rubbish strewn land is now rich in cassowary food trees and cassowaries. Bush hens have partitioned off territories across the whole property and are busy turning over the leaf litter. More generally the number and richness of forest birds has increased incredibly. With the forest birds have come more seeds from the surrounding forest and a continuing increase in ‘natural’ regeneration. Ulysses butterflies now float majestically between and across the developing forest canopy.

The flora diversity has been increased by the planting of ‘local provenance’ seedlings from species known to occur on or near the site. Where once just a handful of ‘pioneering’ tree species occurred mixed with the weeds, there is now a growing forest with more than 200 tree species, and in places, some of these are already 12-15m tall. Planting more than 30,000 trees has made an incredible difference, and in association with careful weed management we have witnessed the return of the property and this area to vibrant rainforest ecology. 

Thank you BioPak and your customers for your incredible and ongoing support!
By Kristin Canning, Rainforest Rescue