Planting 1m trees is well under way

The trees will be planted in southern WA and western Victoria over the next three years.

The project will involve more than 1000 community members and landowners, capture thousands of tonnes of CO2 and restore degraded habitats.

Greening Australia chief executive Brendan Foran said Greening Australia and Alcoa of Australia had extended one of Australia’s most successful corporate and environmental partnerships to a record 34 years by committing to plant over one million trees during the next three years.

Alcoa managing director Alan Cransberg said the partnership could achieve something of enormous value for future generations ” the preservation and enhancement of unique environments like the Peel Biolink and Habitat 141.

Mr Foran said the two nationally significant landscapes would be the focus of the project.

Peel Biolink South-Western WA is identified as one of the world’s 34 biodiversity hotspots, internationally recognised for the richness and diversity of the area’s native flora and fauna.

The Peel Biolink will reconnect the Darling Scarp to the Ramsar-listed Peel Estuary system through the revegetation and restoration of key ecological assets and biodiversity corridors in the Peel catchment area.

Habitat 141 aims to link national parks from the outback to the ocean in Victoria.

‘Work on the One Million Trees program is now under way and we look forward to Government, other business and individuals standing alongside Alcoa to help expand the critical work of restoring Australia’s unique landscapes, so people and wildlife can co-exist and thrive,’ Mr Foran said.