Rainforest Guardians

Rainforest Guardians are private citizens just like you and me. Some times they are even major corporations. But they all have one thing in common – they have acted to protect and preserve one of the most important places on this planet.

They are quiet achievers. Owning and looking after Australia’s tropical rainforests and providing a buffer to the pressures on the 900,000 hectares of the World Heritage listed Wet Tropics.

Who are our Guardians?

Thomas Bauer: PhD, M.Bus., B.Bus., B.Bus., CHE, FATRI, FRGS

Lina Bauer: M.Ed., B.A., Grad. Dip. Ed

Thomas and Lina migrated to Australia in 1986 and lived in Melbourne until 1999 when they moved to Hong Kong. They are both educators. Lina taught English, Geography and Social Studies in Australia and she is now educating teachers in Hong Kong.

Thomas taught tourism at university level in Melbourne for ten years and he continues to do so in Hong Kong. Through his 12 years of active involvement in Antarctic tourism, Thomas became aware of the great urgency to protect the last wild places on the planet.

When he saw a picture of a piece of rainforest surrounded by clear cut lands for sale on the internet he knew that buying it was the only way to protect it. As Clint Eastwood, the Commissioner for State Parks in California said: "If you wan to save the land, buy it".

The Bauers are delighted to protect over 95% of their land under a conservation covenant and to be able to make a small contribution to the preservation of the endangered cassowary.

You may contact Thomas and Lina on hmthomas@polyu.edu.hk