Volunteers will be able to plant over 10,000 trees in the Daintree Rainforest and help the environment, thanks to a Community Grant from NRMA Insurance.

Rainforest Rescue will use a $5000 grant to plant the trees in the Daintree Rainforest to not only help combat climate change but provide new habitat for the endangered Cassowary.

Rainforest Rescue CEO Kelvin Davies said the new trees would help remove about 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from the air.
“Each tree that we plant absorbs the pollution of approximately one tonne of carbon in its lifetime,” he said.
“Our project also involves the community in tree planting, seed collection and care for seedlings, so people are educated on revegetation.”
“The trees are also being planted to create rainforest corridors for species such as the Cassowary, so they’re less likely to be killed on the roads.”

NRMA Insurance Community Grants are awarded annually to support groups being pro-active in either road safety, emergency response and recovery, crime prevention or the environment. Rainforest Rescue is one of 24 Queensland groups to receive an NRMA Insurance Community Grant for 2010. NRMA Insurance spokesperson Susan Hawkins said it made sense for an insurer to invest in environmental education.

“Research indicates climate change could lead to more severe weather events in south-east Queensland which will impact our community and our business, as an insurer,” she said. “We’re pleased to support programs, like Rainforest Rescue, which equip communities with information to make the right choices when it comes to the environment now and in the future.”

The NRMA Insurance Community Grant program was initiated by employees in 2003 to lend a helping hand to community organisations involved in reducing risk and improving safety. Since then, NRMA Insurance has helped nearly 150 Queensland groups.