Chair of Rainforest Rescue Madeleine Faught with reseach assistant Melissa Bautista celebrating their cassowary award. Photo Aslan Shand.
Rainforest Rescue may be based in Mullumbimby but their work of protecting rainforests stretches around the world with a significant amount of their work focussing on the Daintree low land rainforest. The primary aim for the organisation is purchasing and protecting high conservation value rainforest and preserving its biodiversity.
In recognition of this valuable work they recently received the prestigious Thorsborne Award at the 2018 Wet Tropics Management Authority’s Cassowary Awards night in Cairns.
Named in honour of Margaret Thorsborne a renowned environmental activist, now in her 90s, known for throwing herself in front of bulldozers the award is in its 30th year.
‘Margaret was a forerunner in dedicating her life to saving the wet tropics,’ said Madeleine Faught who is chair of the board of Rainforest Rescue.
Madeleine attended the ceremony with her partner Dr Robert Kooyman and was honoured to share the award with Dr Karen Coombes an internationally recognised scientist who works with tree kangaroos.
‘We were the only out of state organisation nominated for an award,’ continued Madeleine.
‘We are hands on and there is so much passion behind what we do. I felt gratified and so excited that our long years of dedicated work were recognised by such a prestigious award. It was an honour to share the stage with so many other passionate people focussed on conserving and preserving the world heritage values of the area.’
Since 2004 Rainforest Rescue have purchased 30 properties in the Daintree. The primary criteria for property purchases are around the significance of the remnant rainforest on the property as well as connectivity corridors for animals like the endangered cassowary.
Many of the properties they buy are on the market to be developed and when they purchase them they remove the development rights and turn them into nature reserves.
Rainforest Rescue have a conservation team in the Daintree and also run a native nursery where they grow their seedlings from local seed stock. On one property alone, they have planted more than 40,000 trees that they have grown in their nursery.
Find out more about Rainforest Rescue online.
Become a supporter of The Echo
Congratulations and many thanks to the Dynamic Duo- Dr Rob and Madeleine. For all their work over the years saving country from development and preserving rainforest.
Well done, guys. Dingo Lane rocks!