Organisational Announcement in Response to Letter from Federal Minister Warren Entsch

Rainforest Rescue has recently become aware of a letter from the Hon. Warren Entsch MP, which discusses concerns related to conservation funding, environmental advocacy, and fundraising practices by a particular organisation.

The organisation mentioned in the letter is Gondwana Rainforest Trust, a not-for-profit based in Mullumbimby, New South Wales.

The board and team at Rainforest Rescue would like to reassure the Daintree community and our supporters that we have no affiliation, funding relationship, or operational link to Gondwana Rainforest Trust. As a result, we do not endorse the messaging the organisation uses in its advertising.

Rainforest Rescue is committed to transparency in fundraising and the responsible use of funds to achieve our mission of protecting and restoring unprotected native rainforest, particularly within the Daintree region. Our latest Annual Report is available for public viewing here.

As an active participant in the Daintree and wider Douglas Shire community, Rainforest Rescue acknowledges the complex balance required in a region that is a global biodiversity hotspot, home to a diverse community, a place of Indigenous cultural significance, a tourism destination, and an area of mixed agricultural activity. Ensuring responsible land stewardship is critical, particularly with the presence of threatened wildlife and unique native flora in close proximity to human activity.

Rainforest Rescue follows a rigorous process for assessing the suitability of any land acquired for protection or restoration. Priority is given to land with significant environmental value, such as habitat for threatened or endemic species, particularly if it connects to existing protected areas like National Parks. By focusing on these ecological priorities, Rainforest Rescue has successfully established several Wildlife Corridors and dozens of declared Nature Refuges in partnership with the Queensland Government.

While the Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area provide critical protection for parts of the rainforest, significant areas of ecological importance remain unprotected. Many of these areas serve as key connectors between isolated patches of rainforest, particularly at low altitudes, making their conservation a priority for Rainforest Rescue.

Over the past 25 years, we have recognised that conservation efforts must extend beyond protecting existing rainforest. Many areas of former rainforest and potential wildlife corridors are located on privately owned land. To support the restoration of these sites, Rainforest Rescue has developed and continues to expand its native tree nursery, producing high-quality trees for habitat regeneration. These trees are used in Rainforest Rescue’s restoration projects and are also made available to local conservation efforts, as well as being a support for local landowners looking to leverage green carbon and biodiversity payment schemes. In this challenging transitionary time, with the closure of the long-running sugar mill in Mossman, we are happy that we are able to help provide new approaches to land use that are good financially – and good for nature. This is something that we know Douglas Shire is historically concerned with, just as some of the other local councils are increasingly leveraging carbon and biodiversity credit programs to increase revenue, support farmers and local employers, and to help Australia meet its climate and biodiversity commitments, globally.

Demonstrating our commitment to the Daintree community, Rainforest Rescue has sent open letters to the community in the past when stresses related to the aforementioned required a response, and we have hosted an ‘open door’ session at our native nursery in Cow Bay. This session provided opportunities for residents to engage with our team, learn more about our initiatives, and to receive native trees for their own restoration efforts.

Furthermore, Rainforest Rescue actively contributes to the local economy by providing long-term employment opportunities for Daintree residents and expanding our workforce within the Douglas Shire. This investment directly supports regional economic growth while advancing conservation and land management efforts—aligning with the balanced approach to environmental conservation that Minister Entsch has advocated.

For further information or to discuss this matter, please contact Branden Barber, Rainforest Rescue’s CEO, at branden@rainforestrescue.org.au

---

Want more good Rainforest news in your life?

Subscribe to our eNews  | Follow us on Instagram  |  Like us on Facebook  | Subscribe to our YouTube channel

Help Protect Rainforests Forever

Donate to Protect Rainforests Forever  |  Become a Rainforest Guardian  |  Partnership Options