Community
3 October, 2024
Teen digs in for nature
NEXT generation ‘Rainforest Rescuers’ are a vibrant community of young troopers who are making waves in the conservation of our natural world.
From fundraising to tree planting, making documentaries to educating peers, these young champions of the environment are creating change in diverse, impactful, and creative ways.
Since 2015, young Tyler Smith, now 13, has been actively involved with Rainforest Rescue, an organisation with a mission to protect rainforests forever.
Tyler regularly attends tree planting days with his family, as well as participating in his local community in many other ways.
Rainforest Rescue is not-for-profit and has been protecting and restoring rainforests since 1999. They do this by buying properties of high conservation value and protecting their biodiversity. They also restore rainforest through planting, maintenance and weed removal.
In addition to his conservation efforts, Tyler regularly attends beach clean-ups with Tangaroa Blue and is actively involved in NAIDOC celebrations. At his primary school, he advocated for First Nations acknowledgment, inclusion, and involvement. In fact, his passion for environmental activism knows no bounds.
“Tyler is a committed environmental warrior and loves his connections with Rainforest Rescue, he prides himself as being involved from the very first year planting at NightWings,” his mother Therese Smith said.
NightWings Rainforest Centre, in the Daintree, has planted tens of thousands of trees with the help of Raintree Rescuers like Tyler, working together with both staff and volunteers to repair this damaged land.
Tyler was recently awarded a community involvement scholarship for his tireless effort and commitment to his and the wider community, making his mother extremely proud.
“Thank you to all his cheerleaders who wrote amazing letters of support highlighting his commitment to the environment, school, our diverse community club and charities he has shared his love with and lent a hand to” Mrs Smith` said.
In his final year of primary school, Tyler served as school captain and one of his final responsibilities was contributing to the ‘Circle of Plenty’ community day, a community food garden art project at Mossman Botanic Garden. As a parting gift to his school, Tyler planted a tree, leaving behind a long-lasting lasting legacy.
Read More: Port Douglas
