Conservation group, Daintree Life, have been left devastated after around 400 newly planted trees were destroyed by vandals in the Daintree last month.

Daintree Life have been helping to revegetate the rainforest by replacing weeds on old unused service roads and reserves north of the river with rainforest trees.

Dave Pinson from Daintree Life said they had experienced ongoing low-level vandalism of signs, posts, and chains for over a year before this instance which saw the 400 trees pulled from the ground and left to die on the old service road the group was working on including much of what Costa Giorgiadis from Gardening Australia planted some months back.

“Whoever is doing this has just taken it to a new level,” Mr Pinson said.

“Sadly, many of these trees were planted by locals with us on community days.”

Mr Pinson said the total cost of the destroyed trees is at least $4000, which comes as a serious blow to their hard-fought budget funded by donations from people all over the world.

“We are deeply upset and have no idea who would do this as we mostly have great community support, and this area is surrounded by national park, with no neighbours or anyone else affected.

“We think the perpetrator is a local as the ongoing low-level vandalism has now been happening for over a year,” he said.

Mr Pinson said it is particularly sad as much of the groups funding comes from generous community donations.

“A ten-year-old boy donated all his pocket money to plant a tree. His mum was so proud.