Since Alémais began, we have planted over half a million trees, and as the business has grown, so have our ambitions to protect our environment.
To achieve this, we have partnered with Gondwana Rainforest Trust to purchase, protect and restore 12 hectares (120,000 sqm) of land in the Daintree adjoining the UNESCO World Heritage listed Wet Tropics, a haven for endangered plants and animals.
Together with Yalanji Rangers (Australian Indigenous rangers), we will restore 12 hectares of forest in the world’s oldest continuously existing rainforests - estimated to be over 120 million years old – and return the land to its Indigenous Traditional Owners, the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people, to be owned and managed for conservation.
Located in Far North Queensland, Australia - the rainforests of the Wet Tropics, encompassing the Daintree Rainforest, is home to 3,000 different plant species. Described as a living museum, the Daintree contains an almost complete record of the evolution of plant life on Earth, including extremely ancient flowering plants found nowhere else.
One notable example is Idiospermum australiense, the "green dinosaur", one of the oldest known flowering plants. This species is important to science due to its ancient lineage, offering insights into the evolution of plants and ecosystems.
‘It's surely our responsibility
to do everything within our
power to create a planet that provides a home not just for us, but for all life on Earth.’
- Sir David Attenborough
Rainforest Protection
Through our partnership with Gondwana Rainforest Trust, Alémais is helping to regenerate and safeguard 120,000 sqm of crucial forest adjoining the oldest continuously surviving tropical rainforest on Earth, that is deserving of UNESCO World Heritage protection.
World Heritage Preservation
The Daintree is the oldest rainforest on Earth, having existed continuously for over 120 million years. It holds exceptionally high biodiversity and conservation value. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Wet Tropics, large areas of the lowland tropical rainforest in the Daintree are fragmented and degraded, highlighting the ongoing need for conservation efforts to reconnect and protect the remaining stands of this special rainforest.
Biodiversity
The Daintree has one of the highest rates of endemism relative to its size, with species uniquely adapted to its climate and historical isolation. It is home to over 3,000 plant species, 576 of which are endemic, along with a remarkable diversity of animals, including 368 bird species (11 endemic), 113 reptiles (24 endemic), 51 frogs (22 endemic), and 36 bat species. As a result, the Daintree is globally significant for the protection of the world’s biodiversity.
Reforestation
The Alémais Forest Project will see 37,500 trees established across 12 hectares. Of this, 5.5 hectares will focus on direct tree planting. Another 2 hectares will support natural regeneration through assisted regrowth, weed management, and planting. The remaining 4.5 hectares contains remnant rainforest. An ecologist oversees the entire process, conducting quarterly and annual assessments to monitor progress and ensure ecological health.
Endangered Plant & Animal Species
The Alémais Forest Project will directly protect 233 plant species found on the land, 9 of which are listed as being threatened with extinction. In addition to this, the project is preserving and regenerating habitat for the endangered southern cassowary, the world's third largest species of bird which depends on the rainforest’s native fruiting plants for survival.
Partner Organisations
Gondwana Rainforest Trust is a registered non-profit organisation committed to the protection and restoration of endangered rainforests. Recognised for its significant contributions to Indigenous communities and the preservation of crucial ecosystems, Gondwana's work in partnership with Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation has been honoured with the Queensland Governments Reconciliation Award. Since its inception, the Trust has successfully acquired and safeguarded more than 30 properties in the Daintree region, contributing to the long-term protection of this vital rainforest landscape.
Gondwana Rainforest Trust is a registered non-profit organisation committed to the protection and restoration of endangered rainforests. Recognised for its significant contributions to Indigenous communities and the preservation of crucial ecosystems, Gondwana's work in partnership with Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation has been honoured with the Queensland Governments Reconciliation Award. Since its inception, the Trust has successfully acquired and safeguarded more than 30 properties in the Daintree region, contributing to the long-term protection of this vital rainforest landscape.
