Rekindle Foundation pledge multi-year support to the Big Scrub
Over the past 30 years, Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy has cared for around 50 Big Scrub rainforest remnants and facilitated the restoration of new forest on over 600 hectares of land.
We’ve done so with the help of government funding, the Big Scrub Foundation, other philanthropic organisations and generous individual donors. It’s with great pleasure that we announce a new multi-year supporter – the Rekindle Foundation.
Rekindle Foundation has pledged $750,000 over 5 years to help fund the continual care of our precious remnants, as well as several other programs, including a Mycorrhizal Fungi Research Project, our Schools Program – training the next generation of rainforest carers – and a Wildlife Monitoring Project initially focussing on bird species using Big Scrub remnants and restoration plantings.
The Rekindle Foundation is a philanthropic organisation started by the Cook family with the missions of helping regenerate life on the planet, creating better opportunities for affordable living, contributing to our rich cultural tapestry through the arts and building stronger communities.
The importance of remnant care
When we began caring for the Big Scrub in 1993, the isolated remnants of rainforest left after clearing were under serious threat from weed invasion. Established infestations of madeira vine, cat’s claw, privet, lantana, climbing asparagus, and many other weed species Japanese honeysuckle were choking most parts of these fragmented forests.
Over the course of decades, our teams of experienced professional bush regeneration contractors worked to eradicate initial weed infestations and control regrowth and fresh infestations. Once the weeds were under control, healthy rainforest structure and a thriving understory of native plants returned – including threatened species – and restoring important food and shelter for threatened fauna.
While the weed threat is under control, we need to continue our work to ensure it stays that way. There are still massive swathes of privet, madeira vine and camphor laurel adjoining sites such as Emery’s Scrub, Boatharbour, Booyong and Johnson’s Scrub. These weeds are mobile and constantly germinating in the remnants. And new threats, like moth vine, corky passionfruit and giant devils fig continue to emerge.
Through the current financial year’s contribution from Rekindle, $50,000 is funding 115 days of work by professional bush regenerators in 17 remnants. Their valuable contribution helps to make up for the decline in funding for remnant care from government sources.
Rekindle is also providing a way for everyone to show their support, through the launch of Helping Hands Co – a store that donates all its profits to philanthropy. To be part of this donation program, you can gift their wine or other items to people that may have helped you, or simply buy them to enjoy for yourself.
In the case of the remnants, we are on track to keep on top of the environmental weeds that still threaten to take hold, especially after new deposits of weeds were reintroduced to certain areas by last year’s floods. We’re thankful to all our partners and supporters who are helping keep the weed threat at bay, and welcome our new supporter to our work of rekindling the Big Scrub.