Your Footprint – Australia’s Trees – Our Future
What are you funding when you donate to plant a tree?
There are many organisations around the world planting trees. In our opinion, the more trees, the better.
But not all tree planting is created equal. Our projects are about at-scale land restoration – caring for Country throughout the life cycle.
You’ve probably heard of carbon aggregators. They’re companies who will take your money and use it to buy trees. Carbon positive middlemen. That’s not us. At Carbon Positive Australia, we develop and execute environmental restoration projects. That means we’re on the ground planting trees – not shifting money around so someone else can do it.
We only plant trees in Australia
It’s about more than just planting a tree though, and it starts from the ground up.
Your donation supports a range of essential planting activities including:
Species selection
The key to a successful planting project is species selection. At Carbon Positive Australia, we only plant local native species. Where possible, we undertake surveys of nearby remnant bushland to identify naturally occurring species. This is part of our commitment to restoring the natural landscape.
While all trees sequester carbon, monoculture plantations (which are common in the carbon industry) often fall short in terms of supporting nature and biodiversity. Our projects could not be more different, and often include more than 50 different native species. We don’t only plant trees – we also plant native shrubs, ground cover, and other understory species to support the natural ecosystem.
Seed collection
Where possible, we source and collect local seed for direct seeding and seedlings, collaborating with local organisations and individuals. Seed collection is a labour-intensive process that involves collecting branches, seed pods, and other plant materials from remnant bush – often at the hottest time of the year! Once the seeds are collected, they are dried and processed. We then take the pure seed to the nursery, where it is propagated and grown into seedlings over the summer and autumn months.
Preparation, planting and monitoring
Site preparation
Your donation helps us to prepare the site ready for planting. This can include weed control, fencing, ripping, and mounding.
Planting
We rely on natural processes, including rainfall, to establish our planting sites. This sustainable approach to planting kickstarts seedling establishment and minimises unnecessary water usage. Where possible, we avoid using tree guards to reduce waste.
Monitoring
To ensure success, we invest in ongoing monitoring and site maintenance. We take a hands-on approach by physically monitoring our sites, tracking survival and growth rates. We use these results to assess whether infill planting is required. If the planting hasn’t survived the tough conditions, we will always return to plant new trees.
Project management
Many of our projects are in regional and remote locations. To ensure the successful delivery of these projects, careful project and logistics management is required.
Our trees are protected, both physically and legally. We ensure sufficient firebreaks are maintained, manage weed and pest populations, and establish legally binding agreements to guarantee the permanence of the trees we plant. All of our projects are protected for at least 25 years.
Community engagement
We plant trees because we are committed to a carbon positive Australia, and with over 20 years of experience, we’re experts in revegetation, reforestation, carbon offsets, and environmental plantings. We partner with a range of partners, including landholders, environmental organisations, nurseries, ranger groups, and volunteers to achieve the best outcomes for you.
But we can’t do it alone. We need you do join us.
It’s as easy as 1, 2, trees.
Join us, and together let’s restore Australia.
To find out more about what your donation supports check out our Reports & Impacts