The Good Seed: Regeneration in the Daintree Rainforest
“The Good Seed” tells the story of 30-year-old Barney Swan, who launched an effort several years ago to regenerate 527 razed acres of Australia’s Daintree Rainforest. Born in London but reared among the wild things of the world’s oldest rainforest, a young Barney also accompanied his father – Robert Swan, OBE – on numerous Antarctic expeditions and ocean voyages before he turned 20.
As an adult, Barney had a mad idea (his words) to devote his life to land that was once rainforest, then cattle pasture, then banana farm, then meth-head haven – and restore it by combining modern digital technology with the ancient knowledge of indigenous peoples and more recent legacy family farmers. His ClimateForce team is creating an open-source model and template that can help restore other rainforests around the world.
Barney Swan and father Robert in the regenerating Daintree Rainforest. (Photo courtesy of Climateforce)
Overhead view of the ClimateForce parcel, which drains into the ocean near the Great Barrier Reef. (Photo courtesy of Climateforce)
Some of the dozens of volunteers who participated in Plant Out 4, June 2025. (Photo courtesy of Climateforce)
Plant Out Day, June 2024. (Photo courtesy of Climateforce)