Media Release: ‘A gift for the rainforest’ – Daintree plant nursery at the heart of local partnership

Rainforest Rescue and Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation team members get together in the shade house for the gifting of the Diwan rainforest nursery.

 

Handover of Diwan Rainforest Nursery takes place between Rainforest Rescue and Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation 

The future of the Daintree remains bright.

Team members of restoration and conservation organisation, Rainforest Rescue, and Eastern Kuku Yalanji Traditional Owners organisation, Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation (JYAC), gathered to mark the gifting of the Diwan Rainforest Nursery between the organisations. 

The nursery is an important part of restoration projects within the Daintree region, supplying thousands of native plants annually. As the green economy gathers pace, a place for the propagation and production of rainforest flora is a symbol of intent and capacity building for the future.  

Both organisations are part of the Wet Tropics Restoration Alliance, committed to the conservation and restoration of habitat within the region.  

“This is another positive step in our collaboration, concrete proof of our organisations taking climate action, and a gift for the rainforest.”

Rainforest Rescue CEO, Branden Barber, announced: “Gifting the original, refurbished native nursery to our partner Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation is a way for us to support their propagation and restoration goals to heal country. We are so grateful for the opportunities to work alongside their team, providing training in horticulture and biosecurity best practices to build confidence in managing an effective nursery. This is another positive step in our collaboration, concrete proof of our organisations taking climate action, and a gift for the rainforest.” 

Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation’s General Manager, Josh Paterson, was enthusiastic about the opportunity: “Having on ground partnerships, especially in the restoration of country, is really important to us. The generosity of Rainforest Rescue through their training and gifting of the native nursery means we can facilitate the ongoing vision of developing Yalanji Bama (our people) as caring custodians of the Bubu (land) as they return to live and work on country.” 

Members of both organisations came together at Diwan to acknowledge the change of stewardship at the nursery, with specialist teams learning from each other through sharing their horticultural stories and land restoration techniques.  

 
The teams enjoy a morning tea together at the Diwan rainforest nursery, sharing stories and horticultural knowledge. Nursery workers wear shirts that share the branding of both organisations, identifying their collaboration.

 

Marine Deliens, Rainforest Rescue’s Nursery Manager, added: “The Diwan Rainforest Nursery has been a part of the Daintree community for many years, it is symbolic of our local people living in the rainforest and caring for the environment around us.” 

Over 12,000 plants a year will be grown at the Diwan nursery, with JYAC’s forest rangers team using the native flora to restore lowland rainforest at Wawu Dimbi. This is an important conservation property near Forest Creek, on the edge of the Daintree River, forming a connection between World Heritage protected habitat and wetlands of ecological significance. Hundreds of rainforest plants have already been planted at Wawu Dimbi during a recent community tree planting.  

Rainforest plants at the Diwan rainforest nursery will be planted at restoration projects such as the Wawu Dimbi property near Forest Creek in the Daintree. 

 

With Rainforest Rescue’s new native nursery at Cow Bay capable of growing up to 150,000 plants a year, Mr. Barber speculated that the Daintree Rainforest is the only one in the world that is growing in size. 

“We’ve planted more trees and protected more rainforest habitat than ever before, so this is an ideal point to celebrate with our partners. Gifting is an amazing way for Rainforest Rescue to end our biggest year to date.” 

 

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