Saving the Daintree
Episode: # 29 15/12/07
Presenter: Phil Dudman
The Palm Gully rainforest garden in the Mt Coot-tha botanical gardens Brisbane is an awe inspiring garden and it serves as a terrific reminder of the significant role rainforests play in our everyday lives.
Rainforests are true biological treasures, supporting a mighty ecosystem of plants and animals. They’re like lungs to our planet, continuously recycling carbon dioxide into the oxygen we breathe.
Sadly, we have already lost over half of the world’s rainforests areas and what remains is under serious threat. Even our very own Daintree in North Queensland, a world heritage rainforest area, is at major risk of being cleared for development.
Thankfully, something is being done and one of the groups working to save the Daintree is ‘Rainforest Rescue’. Kelvin Davies is one of the founders of Rainforest Rescue.
Kelvin: “Before they created the Daintree National Park World Heritage Area in the mid 1980’s a developer purchased a large part of the Daintree and turned it into a rural residential sub division.”
Phil: “So it’s at major threat. How are you going about stopping that kind of development?”
Kelvin: “Well they are building houses there; about five to ten houses are built per year in the Daintree rainforest. What we are doing is raising funds from the community, from individuals and from business and when we have got enough money we buy these properties and place them into a reserve to protect them forever.”
Phil: “So what are some of the ways that people can help to support your group?”
Kelvin: “Probably the best way that we can help save the Daintree as individuals is to sponsor a few square metres.”
Phil: “I believe you have a system in place where people can actually give a part of the rainforest as a gift.”
Kelvin: “That’s right so it’s a great gift for Christmas or any other time of the year. We have got wonderful little gift cards that record how many square metres you have saved on behalf of your friends or your loved ones.”
Phil: “So people can give a piece of rainforest instead of perfume or power drill. It’s a great idea, how much does it cost?”
Kelvin: “It’s only a few dollars per square metre. So for twenty five dollars you can save five square metres of the world heritage listed Daintree Rainforest. Considering it is the most spectacular ecosystem in Australia, and possibly the world, it’s great value.”
For more information about Rainforest Rescue and saving the Daintree visit the Rainforest Rescue website
http://www.rainforestrescue.org.au/
Presenter: Phil Dudman
The Palm Gully rainforest garden in the Mt Coot-tha botanical gardens Brisbane is an awe inspiring garden and it serves as a terrific reminder of the significant role rainforests play in our everyday lives.
Rainforests are true biological treasures, supporting a mighty ecosystem of plants and animals. They’re like lungs to our planet, continuously recycling carbon dioxide into the oxygen we breathe.
Sadly, we have already lost over half of the world’s rainforests areas and what remains is under serious threat. Even our very own Daintree in North Queensland, a world heritage rainforest area, is at major risk of being cleared for development.
Thankfully, something is being done and one of the groups working to save the Daintree is ‘Rainforest Rescue’. Kelvin Davies is one of the founders of Rainforest Rescue.
Kelvin: “Before they created the Daintree National Park World Heritage Area in the mid 1980’s a developer purchased a large part of the Daintree and turned it into a rural residential sub division.”
Phil: “So it’s at major threat. How are you going about stopping that kind of development?”
Kelvin: “Well they are building houses there; about five to ten houses are built per year in the Daintree rainforest. What we are doing is raising funds from the community, from individuals and from business and when we have got enough money we buy these properties and place them into a reserve to protect them forever.”
Phil: “So what are some of the ways that people can help to support your group?”
Kelvin: “Probably the best way that we can help save the Daintree as individuals is to sponsor a few square metres.”
Phil: “I believe you have a system in place where people can actually give a part of the rainforest as a gift.”
Kelvin: “That’s right so it’s a great gift for Christmas or any other time of the year. We have got wonderful little gift cards that record how many square metres you have saved on behalf of your friends or your loved ones.”
Phil: “So people can give a piece of rainforest instead of perfume or power drill. It’s a great idea, how much does it cost?”
Kelvin: “It’s only a few dollars per square metre. So for twenty five dollars you can save five square metres of the world heritage listed Daintree Rainforest. Considering it is the most spectacular ecosystem in Australia, and possibly the world, it’s great value.”
For more information about Rainforest Rescue and saving the Daintree visit the Rainforest Rescue website
http://www.rainforestrescue.org.au/
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