Daintree Life

It's official. This morning we got email confirmation from Open Forest Protocol https://lnkd.in/gjdxMcK2 that we have been approved for carbon financing for the Bells Road project. We are currently planting stage 1 (zone A) and have defined three 11-metre diameter geofenced sample plots. We have installed posts with signs to mark the centres, because although they are very easy to find now, they will not be so easy in 3-4 years. 20 trees are tagged in each sample plot and each year, data is uploaded regarding height and circumference at chest height of each tree - with tagged photos. With a known and recorded density rate, an independent team of validators calculate carbon sequestered each year. It will also provide valuable data on growth rates for each species. If you look closely, you can just see the pink tag and green plant tie on the Syzygium angophoroides in the foreground.

A handful of promise. These are just some of the seeds collected yesterday by Rainforest Rescue seed collector, Angela in our garden. These are the papery wind-dispersed seeds of Flindersia bourjotiana (the Queensland Silver Ash). This majestic tree which grows to 35 metres, develops large studded elliptical fruit pods, which split open to shower the ground with seed. Once germinated and grown, many of these will be coming back to us in pots to plant in various projects like Newell, Forest Creek and Cow Bay.

Photographed at Mossman Gorge, this is a Boyd's forest dragon (Lophosaurus boydii), an amazing-looking species of arboreal lizard in the family Agamidae, which lives only in rainforests and their margins in the Wet Tropics region of north Queensland - from just north of Townsville up to Cooktown. These reptiles are sit-and-wait predators, catching prey that they spy from their aerial vantage points. Their diet consists primarily of insect invertebrates, and are also partial to earthworms. Small fruits and vertebrate animals are also occasionally consumed. Although cryptic in colouration, they are easy to spot and photograph as they are normally always seen clinging to slender sapling trunks at head height. On this trip we found four in just a 50-metre walk.

In the first photo, we have landowners Gordon & Jodie planting the first two trees on the Bells Road project in late August - with a little help from Rufus their dog. Moving forward 12 weeks, in the second photo, we have recreated the exact same scene - apart from different camera angle, and substitutes - Connie and a random teddy bear :) 2750 trees have now been planted there and a new forest is growing. You can help us to continue planting this area by sponsoring a tree or three, here https://lnkd.in/ge9jHZWz

Connie photographed the largest of our resident Lace monitors (Varanus varius) yesterday on our property. This beauty is approaching 2 metres (6 feet) in length and looks very healthy. Bit like having a small crocodile in the garden - except this one climbs trees.

Just over a week ago, we had the pleasure of meeting and hosting Annette and Siegfreid, on holiday from Germany. Their daughter, Sabine, had bought them six trees each for their birthdays, and they got to plant their trees in an area of Cow Bay which used to be weeds. Lovely people, and another 12 trees adding to the Daintree rainforest.

This is the edible fruit of the Giant leaf tamarind (Diploglottis bernieana). Also known as Bernie's tamarind, this tree was named after botanist Bernie Hyland and grows in lowland and upland rainforest between Cooktown and Innisfail. It is endemic to this small region - meaning it grows nowhere else in the world. Inside the hairy seed capsules are large thin flat seeds covered in a highly edible orange aril, which is quite tart and tastes like a cross between vitamin C tablets and apricot. Very popular as a small to medium garden tree in tropical gardens, it is mainly grown for its enormous leaves which can be over a metre in length. Apart from people, the fruit is eaten by Cassowaries, Musky Rat-kangaroos, and various rainforest birds. This species features in most of our plantings.

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Aerial shot of latest planting area at Forest Creek being prepared for 2000 trees to be planted. The brown patch is brush-cutting to start removing the weed overburden. Planting for this area is planned for February/March to replace rank grasses and bramble with rainforest. You can help us to keep planting trees by donating here https://lnkd.in/ge9jHZWz

The first 2400 trees in the ground at the Bells Road, Newell (Nulu) project. The next 800 are ready to plant as soon as the predicted rain starts this week. A new forest is starting to emerge from the ground. Grow little trees.