We’re excited to be partnering with renowned Australian brand Dairy Farmers on the revegetation of 3.5 hectares of rainforest in the Atherton Tablelands as part of our Restoring Habitat for Endangered Species project.
Announced on Friday, February 16, the corporate partnership will result in the planting of 11,900 native and endemic rainforest trees on a nature refuge in the Atherton Tablelands that is strategically located between the Malaan National Park and Herberton Range National Park.
Rainforest Rangers Kelvin Davies (centre), with Dairy Farmers' Helena O'Hare and Josine Breebaart
This 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.
Rainforest Rangers is a program of Gondwana Rainforest Trust, and CEO, Richard Christian said "Working with Dairy Farmers 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."
“We are excited to work with Dairy Farmers to raise awareness about the importance of rainforest conservation and inspire others to take action.”
Protecting species
The forests of the Atherton Tablelands provide essential habitat for a variety of plants and animals, including the endangered southern cassowary and the vulnerable Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo.
Rainforest fragmentation through historical clearing has created challenges for wildlife attempting to travel across the landscape. For climate-sensitive species like the Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo and the lemuroid and green ringtail possums, which are restricted to the cooler parts of the Atherton Tablelands and other higher areas of the Wet Tropics, there are further complicating factors.
Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo makes its way through the treetops.
Reversing the decline of these species requires restoring and protecting the rainforests that feed and home these animals.
With the support of Dairy Farmers, the planting will be complete by June 2025.
Howard Smith, Keaton Bevan and Rainforest Rangers CEO Richard Christian plant some of the first trees at the site.
"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," said Darryn Wallace, Executive General Manager, RMSP at Bega Group.
"At large, this initiative deepens our commitment to the local community in which the Malanda site has operated 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. This will ensure high quality and nutritious Dairy Farmers products continue to be available within the Atherton Tablelands region and beyond for generations.”
Read more about the program here.