BioPak’s ‘Give Back Program’ Makes a Big Difference to Rainforest Rescue for Over a Decade

Rainforest Rescue has been protecting and restoring rainforests for 25 years. 

Since our partnership with Rainforest Rescue began in 2012, we’re proud to have made a big difference – funding the protection of eight hectares of threatened Daintree rainforest and enabling Rainforest Rescue to plant and rescue 90,947 trees.

Protecting trees is essential for our planet’s health – they are the biggest lungs on the planet, they give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilise soil and support the world’s wildlife.

The Daintree rainforest, continuously evolving for 180 million years, is a site of global significance. Neighbouring the Great Barrier Reef, it is the only place in the world where two World Heritage Areas meet and intricately connect. Though it covers less than 1% of Australia’s surface, it is a biodiversity hotspot, being home to 60% of our butterfly species, 40% of our bird species and 65% of our fern species. It is also a place of immense spiritual significance for the Kuku Yalanji people, traditionally being a source of food, shelter, cultural traditions and rich storytelling. 

This article will shine a light on our ongoing partnership with Rainforest Rescue – celebrating milestones, big and small, and our positive impact on these incredibly biodiverse and ecologically rich habitats.

Rainforest Rescue has been protecting and restoring rainforests for 25 years. 

Since our partnership with Rainforest Rescue began in 2012, we’re proud to have made a big difference – funding the protection of eight hectares of threatened Daintree rainforest and enabling Rainforest Rescue to plant and rescue 96,920 trees.

Protecting trees is essential for our planet’s health – they are the biggest lungs on the planet, they give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilise soil and support the world’s wildlife.

The Daintree rainforest, continuously evolving for 180 million years, is a site of global significance. Neighbouring the Great Barrier Reef, it is the only place in the world where two World Heritage Areas meet and intricately connect. Though it covers less than 1% of Australia’s surface, it is a biodiversity hotspot, being home to 60% of our butterfly species, 40% of our bird species and 65% of our fern species. It is also a place of immense spiritual significance for the Kuku Yalanji people, traditionally being a source of food, shelter, cultural traditions and rich storytelling. 

This article will shine a light on our ongoing partnership with Rainforest Rescue – celebrating milestones, big and small, and our positive impact on these incredibly biodiverse and ecologically rich habitats.

• Charity name: Rainforest Rescue
• Charity partner since: 2012
• BioPak Give Back Fund contribution: 1% of profits donated
• Trees planted or rescued: 96,920
• Land purchased: 7,107 hectares

Rainforest Rescue preserves rainforests by purchasing rainforest properties of high conservation value and protecting their biodiversity forever. They have been working relentlessly to restore vulnerable rainforests through restoration, maintenance and raising awareness. 

Australia’s largest rainforest and the world’s most ancient rainforest, the Daintree, is their key focus. It’s one of the most biodiverse and ecologically rich environments on the planet – and with its ability to fix and store carbon, it’s essential to our planet’s overall health. But unfortunately, the Daintree is under threat of being severely degraded in areas that are unprotected and destined for clearing. 

As part of the BioPak ‘Give Back’ program, we contribute 1% of our profits to Rainforest Rescue. From our BioCup Art Series to propagating local tree species to helping fund the protection of threatened rainforests – we’re proud of our contribution over the past decade. 

Rainforest Rescue CEO Branden Barber feels inspired by our partnership: “It’s great to see businesses investing in conservation – Rainforest Rescue was founded on the notion that we needed to protect rainforests because if not us, who? Together we are protecting rainforests forever.”

Kurranji Bubu, or Lot 46, marks one of BioPak’s first contributions to Rainforest Rescue. In 2010,  Lot 46 Cape Tribulation Road was offered for sale on the open market. By acting quickly, Rainforest Rescue managed to secure the property, protecting this incredibly valuable slice of paradise well into the future. 

BioPak was the first business to jump on board, pitch in, and help protect Lot 46, with BioPak co-founder Richard Fine and family personally helping to plant trees and restore it back to its former glory.

Rainforest Rescue then worked with the local government to achieve Nature Refuge status in March 2021, and Lot 46 granted the traditional name of Kurranji Bubu (Cassowary Land) by the Yalanji language committee.

Rainforest Rescue Protects Lot 46

In 2018, in addition to our Give Back Program, BioPak ran a #rainforest2reef campaign with specially designed coffee cups. The series featured 17 artists whose work celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of protecting the ancient and biodiverse Daintree National Park and the Great Barrier Reef.

The campaign invited consumers to share photos of the special edition Rainforest Rescue Art Series cups with the hashtag #rainforest2reef on Instagram. BioPak pledged to donate $1 for every post.

The campaign generated 660 Instagram posts, resulting in an additional $660 for Rainforest Rescue.

#Rainforest2Reef Campaign

In 2018, Rainforest Rescue received 1% of BioPak’s profits in Australia, contributing to the protection of 1 hectare of rainforest protected in Cow Bay. Cow Bay is part of the lower Daintree — this effort saw 3,826 seedlings planted, all being planted at Nightwings.

Excitingly, Rainforest Rescue measured the effects of rainforest restoration and protection initiatives in 2018 – reporting positive results. 

The water quality at the Nightwings property improved with evidence of turbidity and sedimentation flowing onto the reef at 30% less than the neighbouring unrestored sugar cane property. Three years after restoration, turbidity levels at NightWings are down to zero!  

In addition, measurements saw new coral spawning in vast numbers along the coastal reef of the Cow Bay rainforest. 

Not long after a juvenile cassowary was spotted in one of the restored forest properties, after not being sighted south of the Daintree River in 40 years. Excitingly, a 2024 report made by the owner of Nightwings stated they are aware of two cassowary births on or near the property, and evidence of their activity is now spotted regularly!

In 2020, our Voices for the Rainforest Art Series showcased 18 global influencers – sharing their stories and artworks to support Rainforest Rescue. Featuring well-known names like singer & songwriter Ziggy Alberts, NBA player Patty Mills and Channel Nine’s Ally Langdon. Each artist created a unique expression to symbolise their love for nature and environmental restoration.

Voices for the Rainforest Art Series 

A big part of Rainforest Rescue's work involves propagating local rainforest tree species. 

In their original nursery, the Rainforest Rescue team could propagate a maximum of 12,000 local rainforest tree species annually. However, Rainforest Rescue needed to scale up their operations and they built a new Native Nursery at Cow Bay in 2023. Nursery Manager Marine Deliens and her team propagated 50,000 local rainforest tree species in the new native nursery in 2023, working towards 150,000 annually! They are planted by land manager Hayden White and his team and once planted they have a 98% survival rate. Tree planting enhances existing rainforest remnants and provides vital corridors for wildlife. 

Since partnering with Rainforest Rescue in 2012, BioPak has helped plant and rescue 96,920 trees, and contributed towards the growing of 25,000 seedlings at their New Native Nursery. BioPak was one of the very first businesses to answer Rainforest Rescue’s call to arms to power up the new nursery - aiming to grow one million trees within a decade!

Rainforest Rescue Nursery

n 2023, Rainforest Rescue partnered with Dr Alexander Cheesman (Senior Research Fellow at the University of Exeter & James Cook University) to model the carbon stored by Rainforest Rescue’s ongoing work. From this, BioPak’s contribution impact could be calculated. 

BioPak’s protection of 7.22 hectares of mature tropical forests has helped hold 1,877 tonnes of carbon (or 6,889 tonnes CO2), which is stored in the trees over their lifetime. The 8.5 hectares of trees BioPak helped plant on cleared damaged land has sequestered 466 tonnes of carbon (or 1,710 tonnes CO2) so far – this amount will continue to grow as the trees mature! 

Where the rainforest meets the reef, Lot 1 Cape Tribulation Road is a prime example of a critically endangered coastal rainforest habitat in Australia’s Tropical North Queensland. 

Thanks to Rainforest Rescue, and the support from charity partners like BioPak, Lot 1 Cape Tribulation Road received a rare second chance in 2023. This 10-acre property is home to two regionally endangered ecosystems, a Critically Endangered Littoral (coastal) Rainforest and an Endangered Wet Tropics Lowland Rainforest.

Lot 1 Cape Tribulation Road was the 45th property to be protected by Rainforest Rescue.

Rainforest Rescue Protects 10 Acres

To celebrate World Rainforest Day, BioPak created a fresh new look for our leaf cups. 

Featuring Ylang Ylang, Bleeding Heart and Flame Tree, BioPak’s Rainforest Rescue Leaf BioCup Series highlights these three unique real-world leaves, so coffee drinkers can savour their morning cuppa and learn something new about Australian flora. 

Our new Leaf BioCup Series celebrates our ongoing collaboration with Rainforest Rescue.

Marine Deliens, Rainforest Rescue’s Native Nursery Manager, says: “The new Leaf BioCup Series is a wonderful way to celebrate just some of the many species we use in our nursery and restoration work,  strongly preserving the Daintree rainforest, and our environment as a whole”.

Rainforest Rescue Leaf BioCup Series

We’re proud to have partnered with Rainforest Rescue for over a decade, helping to plant trees and restore ecologically rich rainforests across Australia. 

We’re looking forward to what the future brings, with the hope that we can continue to restore and protect more precious rainforest habitats – an essential ecosystem for a healthy planet. 

• Rainforest Rescue Thanks All BioPak Customers
• Rainforest Rescue Protects Lot 1 Cape Tribulation Road
• Rainforest Rescue Leaf BioCup Series

Planting trees and protecting forests is very important to improve the health of the planet and fight climate change. Forests are considered the ‘lungs of the earth’, because of their ability to draw in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. Forest restoration and protection is also a way to mitigate biodiversity loss, which is also a disastrous effect of climate change.

Rainforest Rescue is a not-for-profit that has been protecting rainforests for nearly 25 years by purchasing rainforest properties of high conservation value and protecting their biodiversity forever. They have been working relentlessly to restore vulnerable rainforests through restoration, maintenance and raising awareness. Australia’s largest rainforest, the Daintree, is their key focus, it is one of the most biodiverse environments on the planet, which is unfortunately under threat of being severely degraded. The Daintree is also the world’s most ancient rainforest by far, evolving and thriving for as many as 180 million years. The Amazon, though much larger, has only been around for perhaps 65 million years.

Aerial view of Lot 46. Credit: Martin Stringer.

The significant funding from BioPak increases Rainforest Rescue's financial capacity, in general, to go out and buy threatened properties. Through our Give Back Fund and campaign cups, we have donated to the protection and preservation of rainforests.

BioPak has to date funded the protection of eight hectares of threatened rainforest and enabled Rainforest Rescue to plant or rescue 90,947 trees. BioPak not only stands as Rainforest Rescue’s largest Business Partner but also is one of the largest contributor to rainforest conservation. We have contributed to purchasing of Lot 1 (Cape Tribulation Road), Lot 2 (Forest Creek Road), Lots 11, 12 and 19 (Forest Close) and Lot 46 (BioPak’s ‘Piece of Paradise’) to harbour high biodiversity and protect critically important habitat for a range of threatened flora and fauna species.

The IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, ranks the Wet Tropics of Australia, of which the Daintree is the heart, as the second most irreplaceable natural World Heritage site.

By answering Rainforest Rescue’s call to arms as the first business partner to invest in protecting an entire hectare of Lot 46 forever, we created a high impact conservation success story together. In the words of the rainforest ecologist for Rainforest Rescue, Lot 46 is “…now contributing positively to biodiversity and conservation values, carbon uptake, and protection of important local, regional and global ecological processes in the Daintree. This project provides one of the best global examples of full property restoration in a critically important area with very high biodiversity values.”

On Lot 46, where once just a handful of ‘pioneering’ tree species occurred mixed with the weeds, there is now a growing forest with more than 200 tree species, and in places, some of these are already 12-15m tall! Wildlife is coming back to Lot 46 to search for food and create their home, and as their Rainforest Rescue's ecologist states “what was once weed impacted and rubbish-strewn land is now rich in Cassowary food trees and Cassowaries.

Bush Hens have partitioned off territories across the whole property and are busy turning over the leaf litter. More generally the number and richness of forest birds have increased incredibly. With the forest, birds have come more seeds from the surrounding forest and a continuing increase in ‘natural’ regeneration. Ulysses Butterflies now float majestically between and across the developing forest canopy.”

Rainforest Rescue’s Kristin Canning planting a seedling in the Daintree

In 2023, BioPak contributed towards the forever protection of 10,520 square metres of threatened Daintree rainforest at Lots 1 (Cape Tribulation) and 11 and 12 (Forest Creek) which includes 6,104 trees rescued from development in this intact habitat that connects many other Rainforest Rescues to the National Park/World Heritage area.

Restoring destroyed rainforest is excellent for many reasons, from recreating habitat that will support myriad species to drawing more carbon from the atmosphere and, ultimately, recreating the richly diverse complex organism that is a fully-developed rainforest.

Buying back and protecting properties in the Daintree reduces the impact of development and maintains the rich, established habitat that is critical for the survival of many rare and threatened species like the Tree Kangaroo.

Reducing the development in the Daintree means less land is clear for dwellings and infrastructure and the traffic is reduced – car strikes are the number one killer of cassowaries in the Daintree. Domestic animal numbers are also kept down – dog attacks are the number two killer of cassowaries in the Daintree.

Rainforest Rescue's Land Manager Joe Reichl and his team propagate up to 20,000 local rainforest tree species annually in the Daintree Community Nursery and once planted, have a 98% survival rate for our trees. The team plants over 250 different species of rainforest trees to create a diverse rainforest ecosystem for the many species of plants and animals that exist in the rainforest. Some of the 70,000 trees planted will grow up to a massive 40 metres high.

Incredible ongoing care and maintenance is taken to ensure the high survivability rate on the rainforest tree seedlings and we choose tree-planting sites that enhance existing rainforest remnants and provide links and corridors for wildlife. We want to help threatened species and restore the 75% of Australian rainforest that has been destroyed.

Rainforest Rescue's Land Manager Joe Reichl and his team.

• Learn about BioPak’s Give Back Fund
• Watch the BioPak ‘Community Give Back’ playlist