An organization that is truly passionate about “protecting and restoring the health, diversity and productivity of the unique Australian landscapes” is Greening Australia. Their mission is to involve the general community in the management of vegetation to help protect Australia’s unique landscapes and environment.

Greening Australia is about doing practical things …

Greening Australia is about doing practical things to address the problems that beset our environment. It has a thirty year track record in the creation of sustainable environments in metropolitan, regional and remote areas of Australia. The organisation addresses and acts upon important problems like soil degradation, erosion, salinity and loss of biodiversity, using a unique approach that combines science, practical experience and community involvement.

The Gondawana Link is a current ambitious project that Greening Australia is part of. Reputed to be the largest land restoration activity anywhere in the world, the aim is to restore the country’s only known biodiversity hotspot, situated in southern Western Australia. The area has achieved international attention on account of its unique fauna and flora; it is believed to have in excess of 1,500 different species of animals and plants.

… the largest land restoration activity anywhere in the world …

Over the years of European settlement, large tracts of land have been cleared for agriculture, thus fragmenting this important landscape. Fortunately, scattered areas of bushland have survived and the goal of the alliance responsible for the Gondwana Link is to join up these islands of biodiversity to form a continuous corridor. The project will eventually create an incredible 1,000 kilometre arc of restored bushland, stretching from the wet forests of the south western tip of the state right across to the Nullarbor Plain; from the Margaret River right through to the goldfields.

Abandoned farms are being bought up and existing bushland is being monitored and maintained. The cleared land and existing bushland will be combined with national parks to eventually form the unbroken corridor. The alliance views the program as a major carbon sequestering process as well as a huge land restoration project. Talk about a win-win situation!

This is really important work, vital to retaining the biodiversity of the area for future generations. The alliance of organisations involved should be congratulated for having the vision to take on such an enormous task. More than 6,000 hectares has been bought already and nearly 2,000 hectares of this has been replanted to date.

You have the opportunity to get involved …

You have the opportunity to get involved with this; go to www.greeningaustralia.org.au and find out more about the Gondwana Link and the different ways you can help. Support Greening Australia to help achieve the vision of “a healthy, diverse and productive environment treasured by the whole community”.