June Community Tree Planting Day

An overcast, rainy day on June 17th did nothing to stop ten determined volunteers and five staff from showing up to our third community tree planting day for 2023 at our regeneration site Tranquility on the Daintree.

 

  
Land manager Justin gives a tree planting demonstration to new volunteers.
Image credit: Martin Stringer

 

Tranquility is a 250 Ha cattle farm located on the stunning Julaymba (Upper Daintree), with a creek running through the property that flows into the Daintree River. Whispers of the past are present in the form of beautiful old fig trees, which have stood the test of time and dramatic changes in landscape over the years.

 

An impressive fig tree (Ficus benjamina) stands as a reminder of what this cow paddock once resembled.
Image credit: Martin Stringer

 

The current landowners, Roger and Maggie, engaged us over two years ago to perform a three hectare trial plot of creekline revegetation, which has been in action since August 2021. 

Since then we have planted roughly 18,000 trees, and hosted nine community tree planting days, with Tahlia Burchill O’Brien welcoming staff and volunteers onto country, sharing her language, knowledge of the area and encouraging us all to connect a little deeper with bubu (country). 

This day was no different, and despite the gloomy weather, volunteers from far and wide, armed with gloves, trowels and an infectious enthusiasm, busied themselves with planting 950 fresh new rainforest seedlings into their new home along Ellis creek.

 

A fresh load of seedlings ready to be placed into holes for volunteers to plant.
Image credit: Martin Stringer

 

 
Volunteers hard at work.
Image credit: Martin Stringer

 

Creekline revegetation plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the health and resilience of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Apart from the role these trees will play in vital habitat restoration, they will also aid in erosion control, as their intricate root systems stabilise the surrounding soil and prevent sediment run-off into the Daintree river.

 

Aerial view of Tranquility nestled in between the Daintree river and the mountains behind.
Image credit: Martin Stringer

 

Section of Tranquility running along Ellis creek to be planted out.
Image credit: Martin Stringer

 

Top of Ellis creek, known as the Cascades. This is where planting began in 2021.
Image credit: Martin Stringer

 

We would like to thank each and every one of our volunteers for turning up, lending their hands and brightening our spirits, and to our media producer Martin Stringer for taking such beautiful photos of the day! Tremendous thanks also goes out to landowners Roger and Maggie, for pioneering this project, and allowing us to continue hosting these very special tree planting events. It is a beautiful thing to contribute to the healing of country, and even better when surrounded by your friends, family and community.

 

Plant a rainforest! Image credit: Martin Stringer

 

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