What We Do
TREAT is a community-based revegetation group.
We come from a huge range of backgrounds,
but all with one goal in mind — make a better future.
Get involved — Come grow with us!
tree planting
Every Saturday during the wet season (late January to early April) community plantings are held at various properties throughout the region. Up to 90 people gather to plant trees—up to 3000 trees in a morning—then join TREAT for a post-planting BBQ smoko.
Families are welcome.
The schedule is published on this website, on Facebook, in the newsletter and local papers each late December/early January.
Every Saturday during the wet season (late January to early April) community plantings are held at various properties throughout the region. Up to 90 people gather to plant trees—up to 3000 trees in a morning—then join TREAT for a post-planting BBQ smoko.
Families are welcome.
The schedule is published on this website, on Facebook, in the newsletter and local papers each late December/early January.
nursery
The QPWS Rainforest Restoration Nursery at McLeish Rd, Lake Eacham is open from 7am-12 noon each Friday, except Good Friday and Christmas week.
Tasks include:
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Seed preparation (seated)
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Seed sowing
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Potting up/on of seedling stock
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Plant maintenance – trimming, weeding, feeding
Volunteers are always welcome. A great place to learn from the wide range of expertise within the nursery group.
display centre
The Rainforest Display Centre on McLeish Rd, Lake Eacham is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 1pm, excluding public holidays, and is staffed by TREAT volunteers.
The interpretive display describes tropical rainforest, Traditional Owners' land management prior to clearing, how logging and agriculture have changed the landscape, and an explanation of TREAT's work.
Displays tell people about the benefits of tree planting and forest restoration and showcase the work of TREAT over 40 years.
workshops & field days
WORKSHOPS
Tree ID and Propagation
Participants learn how to go about identifying plants, focusing on differences between rainforest plant families. Staff demonstrate the different types of seeds, how to prepare and sow them and how to care for seedlings.
Site Preparation, Maintenance & Tree Planting
Participants learn about site preparation, planting and maintenance. There are hands-on exercises of hole-digging and planting. TREAT recommends that members applying for trees attend this workshop. Details are given in the newsletter and registration is required.
FIELD DAYS
There are excursions each winter to properties with restored areas. They offer great opportunities to look at different approaches to rainforest revegetation and discuss the successes or otherwise with landholders and gain from their experiences.
resources
NEWSLETTER
Produced quarterly, it features updates on community plantings and other events, reports on TREAT activities, the seasonal fruit collection diary and nursery news. Feature articles cover a wide range of topics.
LIBRARY
TREAT has an extensive reference library located at the nursery. Members may borrow books except for a few which are for reference only.
BOOKS & FIELD GUIDES
The ‘Repairing the Rainforest’ book and ‘Tropical Fungi’ guide are available for sale via TREAT.
in the community
MARKETS
On the 4th Saturday of each month (except in the ‘planting season and for the December market), TREAT volunteers operate a stall at Yungaburra Markets. We chat with locals, meet new landholders, offer tree planting advice and encourage new memberships.
From time to time TREAT also has a presence at agricultural field days.
SCHOOL PROJECTS
TREAT has various projects with primary-aged school children at local schools. These include the ‘Tree Awareness Project’ and helping children and teachers create butterfly gardens.
PARTNERSHIPS
TREAT committee members play an active role in steering committees with other organisations such as TERRAIN NRM, WRMA and the Cassowary,Flying Fox and Mabi Recovery Groups,
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About us
Trees for the Evelyn and Atherton Tablelands (TREAT) was started in 1982 by botanist Joan Wright and rainforest ecologist Geoff Tracey, who recognised the need for a community-based tree planting organisation to revegetate degraded lands and create corridors for wildlife, using local, native trees, on the Tablelands.
TREAT has a unique working relationship with the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) – Restoration Services – at the Lake Eacham Nursery, together producing over 100,000 native rainforest trees each year for planting.
TREAT also works closely with many landholders, other community groups, Landcare groups, local schools and government and non-government bodies.
Being community-based and volunteer-run TREAT, with over 400 members, is active in all aspects of plant production and revegetation, plus community liaison and education, data collection and monitoring. Proudly having large numbers of volunteers each week, TREAT has been providing these and other services now for 40 years and continues to look forward to many more good years ahead.