Gift a Tree Australia

Why Trees Matter?

Across Australia, more than 52 million hectares of land is degraded. Our country is among the top ten nations losing tree cover and wildlife habitats. This has caused widespread environmental devastation and has contributed to global carbon emissions.

Planting trees is often hailed as a simple solution to climate change, but there’s more to it than just putting seeds in the ground. In Australia, where some of the world’s most biodiverse and carbon-dense native forests, mallee and heathlands are found, we need to ensure that our tree planting efforts are well planned, strategic, and effectively contribute to the long-term resilience of our ecosystems.

Planting trees haphazardly is not effective. The land needs to be strategically chosen, and a diversity of species planted must originate from the local ecosystem they’re intended to restore. Regenerating forests and planting diverse species restores functioning ecosystems on once degraded lands. This protects nature, conserves biodiversity, and stores carbon more effectively.

FNPW’s Landscape Resilience Program

Through the FNPW’s Landscape Resilience program, we’re doing just that—rebuilding and reconnecting Australia’s ecosystems with the support of local communities. Born from the devastation of the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires, this program aims to restore landscapes while building resilience to the effects of climate change in the future.  

Committed to the Global Biodiversity Framework, which pledges to ensure 30% of degraded ecosystems are under effective restoration by 2030, FNPW collaborates with 30+ community-based nurseries across Australia. Together, we’ve planted over One million native trees to restore crucial biodiversity hotspots like the Gondwana Rainforest, East Gippsland, and the Mount Lofty to Kangaroo Island corridor.  

These trees assist in the recovery of our landscapes that have been degraded or destroyed, connecting remnant vegetation to build wildlife corridors and restore healthier ecosystems which support richer biodiversity and reduce the effects of natural disasters like floods and droughts due to global warming.  In this United Nations Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, the actions we take now will benefit the lives of future generations.