1982 to today: What have we learnt from 43 years of restoration?

40 years ago, restoration looked a lot like hope and hard work: communities and volunteers grabbing shovels, digging holes by hand, and planting seeds from local bushland. It was grassroots, hands-on, and driven by a cultural movement taking Australia by storm.

From the archives: Greening Australia direct seeding beneath a rainbow. Date and location unknown.

The year was 1982: New Wave music played on the radio, teens sported lycra and big hair, and environmentalism was making its voice heard. People knew whales needed saving, and industrial action was affecting the natural world. Midnight Oil sang for environmental and social justice, while protests against the Franklin Dam development in Tasmania dominated the news – a movement that changed Australian politics forever.

It was in this transformative era that Greening Australia was founded to protect, restore, and conserve Australia’s native vegetation. It was 1982, the International Year of the Tree.

What did restoration look like in 1982?

In the 1980s, the environmental industry was in its infancy. Tree cover decline was recognised as a serious issue affecting agriculture, with salinity, soil degradation, erosion, and declining water quality taking centre stage. Biodiversity, however, was yet to enter mainstream conversations.

Restoration techniques were basic. Shelterbelts on farms were the primary focus, mainly to boost productivity. With limited technology, most work was done manually by volunteers where access to native seed was another significant challenge.

“People didn’t think about local provenance,” says Nicki Taws of our ACT team, “Tasmanian blue gums or Queensland wattles would be planted anywhere. That’s evolved now – local provenance became a priority, and that has evolved further into climate-adapted provenancing.”

This era of trial and error laid the groundwork for much needed learning and experimentation, setting the stage for what was to come.

Tree planting maintenance 20 August, 1985.

The 1990s and early 2000s: Scaling up

By the late 1990s, restoration had undergone a transformation. Direct seeding, a relatively new technique, enabled planting on a much larger scale. “All of a sudden, we were able to plant huge areas of land,” Nicki recalls.

The perception of tree planting also began to shift. “We came a long way from just planting for farm productivity,” Nicki says, “we’d plant much larger areas for biodiversity and habitat.”

Scientific evidence strengthened the case for restoration.

As Greening Australia’s projects expanded across the country, partnerships with organisations like CSIRO bolstered the research base. Innovative techniques also emerged, albeit with initial resistance.

“Working in grassland restoration in 2007 was particularly rewarding,” recalls Candice Parker, of our VIC team, “we used techniques like scalping soil and reseeding, which were controversial at first. But it worked. It’s now just the way we restore grasslands and is a technique used by others. It was a great experience, turning agricultural fields into thriving grasslands that gained recognition through EPBC listings.”

From the archives: planting at Melville Forest in south-west Victoria. Date unknown.

Fast forward to today

Today, the body of research supporting restoration efforts is extensive. For Martin in East Gippsland, science underpins every project.

“We now know where we want to work and why – good science backs it. We’ve done modelling with the national bell frog recovery team, identifying where they are, how far they disperse, and where we need to develop the next wetland to link habitats. We’re targeting properties where migratory birds land, and using pollen distribution data to pinpoint connectivity sites for fragmented landscapes. Integrating science to achieve impactful outcomes is a huge shift from just working with whoever was willing,” he explains.

For Candice, the results on the ground speak volumes.

“One great example is in the volcanic plains around Colac, where we fenced off areas, removed boxthorn, and reduced grazing pressure. The response was incredible, with native plants and even some threatened species reappearing after years.”

The environmental movement: Then and now

The environmental movement has evolved alongside Greening Australia. While Martin recalls it being seen as a “fundamentalist left-wing” issue in the 1980s, today it’s more mainstream.

“It’s a double-edged sword,” Martin says. “On one hand, it’s great to see businesses held more accountable and biodiversity integrated into farming practices. But on the other hand, there’s still a lot of greenwashing, and our economy isn’t yet aligned with ecological sustainability.”

Nicki adds, “I think people are more aware now, partly because of climate change. It’s very much in your face. There’s more education around it, even at schools. My daughters are learning about threatened species and local habitats, not just iconic ones like tigers and whales. Social media plays a role in raising awareness, too, but it’s broader now. Environmental crises aren’t just happening ‘over there’, they’re happening here, too.”

The Franklin Dam protests in the 1980s were a pivotal moment in Australian environmental history, leading to the preservation of the Franklin River and shaping future environmental policy and activism. Photo credit: Steve Parish

The future

Technology is playing an increasingly critical role in restoration. GIS and satellite imagery enable precise planning and tracking, while seed science ensures supply keeps pace with demand through research into dormancy, and long-term storage techniques. The advent of AI promises even more sophisticated monitoring and data analysis.

Nicki notes, “Drone seeding holds promise for some ecosystems, though site preparation techniques need refinement. Monitoring is where we’re seeing the biggest advances; using drones, aerial imagery, and tools like LiDAR to collect more detailed data. It’s becoming much more sophisticated.”

Greening Australia are deploying drones to help restore native vegetation in Michelago, New South Wales in collaboration AirSeed and the Minderoo Foundation.

Is restoration still as important as in 1982?

The consensus is clear: restoration is more important than ever. In 1982, the focus was reversing visible degradation and reclaiming lands. Today, with climate change, biodiversity loss, and habitat destruction, the stakes are higher.

Candice points out: “Unpredictable seasonal variations make planning harder. Adjusting planting schedules when rains don’t come as expected is a constant challenge. Farmers feel these shifts too, impacting their livelihoods. Adapting to these changes is critical.”

Despite the challenges, those dedicated to conserving and restoring our landscapes remain resilient. From Greening Australia’s early days of big hair and hand-dug holes to today’s science-driven, landscape-wide transformations, the heart of our team has remained unchanged. As Martin puts it:

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