Total Trees Established: 217,422
(As of July 2025)
Rainforest Rangers is our dedicated program to restore Australia’s rainforests through strategic tree planting and ecosystem restoration projects.
Rainforests are essential. They regulate the water cycle, buffer extreme weather, store carbon, and support biodiversity. They are also culturally significant, sustaining the livelihoods and connection to Country for First Nations people.
Yet today, less than 6% of Earth’s land surface remains as rainforest, down from 14%. In Australia we've lost 75% of our rainforests. The loss is ongoing but it can be reversed. Through the Rainforest Rangers program we are restoring rainforest ecosystems and re-establishing critical habitat for threatened species.
How Rainforest Restoration Works
Projects can be implemented once we have the assurance that funds are available. That’s when the on-ground work begins.
Successfully re-establishing rainforest typically takes 3 to 5 years and includes the following steps:
- Establishing the commitment of landholders and project partners, or buying the land
- Collecting seed, propagating, and growing seedlings in the nursery
- Preparing the site, including weed control and fencing
- Planting during the wet season to maximise survival
- Maintaining the site for at least three years after planting
For this reason, trees are not always established in the same year that funds are received. We always have projects that are either:
- Successfully completed (with trees fully established), or
- Currently underway, with planting and maintenance in progress.
Where We Work
Rainforest Rangers projects are focused in three priority regions across Australia.
- Northern New South Wales
- Far North Queensland, the Daintree Lowland Rainforest, and Atherton Tablelands
Completed projects
Northern NSW
Accelerating Natural Regeneration – Wilsons Creek, Huonbrook, Goonengerry
100,000 trees established
(Ongoing project – see current projects below)
Big Scrub Rainforest (2019–2022)
13,951 trees established on 5 conservation properties in Huonbrook, Goonengerry and Mullumbimby
Far North Queensland
Daintree Lowland Rainforest (2020–2023)
3,714 trees established on 3 conservation properties at Cow Bay and Diwan
Atherton Tablelands – Barrine Park Nature Refuge (2020–2023)
10,000 trees established
International
Arunachala, India (2020–2023)
6,655 trees established (with Forest Way)
Leuser Ecosystem, Sumatra (2020–2023)
64,000 trees established in Gunung Leuser National Park (with Orangutan Information Centre)
Current Projects
These projects are in progress. Once planting and three years of maintenance are completed, trees will be added to our established total.
Accelerating Natural Regeneration
Location: Wilsons Creek, Huonbrook & Goonengerry, NSW
Target: 150,000 trees
Status: 100,000 trees already established
This large-scale project is restoring degraded rainforest and installing artificial habitat structures for threatened fauna.
Restoring Habitat for Endangered Species
Location: Atherton Tablelands, QLD
Target: 11,900 trees
Status: 9,710 trees planted as of April 2025
The third planting event was held in April 2025. One final round will be completed in early 2026 to reach the full target and fill any remaining gaps.
Revised Program Target
Our original goal was to establish 1 million rainforest trees by June 2023. While COVID-19 and extreme weather delayed progress, our mission remains unchanged.
New Target
- 500,000 established trees by 2026
- Followed by continued planting toward 1 million trees
How You Can Help
We’re scaling up restoration where it matters most but we can’t do it alone.
By supporting our current projects, you’re helping rebuild rainforest habitat, support threatened wildlife, and create a more climate-resilient landscape for future generations.
See our current Urgent Appeals to get involved.