As I write this, a massive project is underway to plant a million trees and shrubs in the red soils of our Western Australia rangelands property – Eurardy Reserve. This is where I live with my wife Tina and my son Liam.
Eurardy is located six hours drive north of Perth on Nanda Country. Decades ago, parts of Eurardy were cleared for agriculture. Now, with help from our partners the Carbon Neutral Charity Fund, we’re embarking on our largest revegetation project in our 29-year history to restore what was lost.
Our initial focus is on tree species such as York gums, melaleucas and acacias, then we will plant other species like herbs, grasses and wildflowers. By planting a variety of species, we are ensuring that the cleared area is restored holistically; improving the soil quality and the diversity of microorganisms that are essential to habitat health.
When completed, this new patch of reconnecting bush will cover more than 1350 hectares (imagine 762 Melbourne Cricket Grounds, back to back) and will be home to species like the Red-tailed Black-cockatoo and the endangered Western Spiny-tailed Skink.
And when each seedling is fully grown, this new vegetation will offset at least 90,000 tonnes of carbon –the equivalent of taking more than 21,000 cars off the road each year.
This project is close to my heart because it gives me hope – hope that my son can grow up in a world teeming with abundant wildlife, seeing and hearing the animals that make Australia such a special place to grow up.
