Restoring Australia celebrates one millionth tree planting milestone

Checking on planting at Andrew Simpson’s property in the Strzelecki Ranges. Image by Annette Ruzicka.

The Officeworks Restoring Australia initiative has reached a significant milestone, planting the one millionth tree as part of Officeworks’ goal to plant two million trees across Australia by 2025.

Launched in 2017, in partnership with Greening Australia, the initiative plants two trees for every one used, based on the weight of paper-based products customers purchase at Officeworks.

The initiative is focused on restoring woodland ecosystems and improving habitat for threatened species whilst supporting rural communities. To date more than 1,700 hectares of Australia’s natural landscape has been restored and habitats provided for 17 threatened or endangered species including the Glossy Black-Cockatoo in South Australia and the Australian Painted Snipe in Queensland.

Every year more planting sites are added, currently there are 19 planting sites across the country, each with their own unique challenges. Greening Australia applies decades of expertise to identify the best course of action for each location, led by science and a commitment to protecting biodiversity.

Officeworks and Greening Australia team members visiting a site in the Monaro region in May. Image by Candice Anderson.

A new project site added in 2021 in the Strzelecki Ranges will provide critical refugia in years to come for many locally threatened species including the genetically significant Strzelecki Koala and the nationally threatened Greater Glider. The planting will also contribute to improving water quality outcomes by stabilising gullies, reducing sediment runoff into the creeks and rivers.

Officeworks Managing Director, Sarah Hunter, said: “We have a big goal to plant two million trees by 2025 with the help of our customers and planting partner Greening Australia, so we are delighted to reach this important milestone of one million trees planted this month. Through our four years of partnership with Greening Australia we’ve been able to support local landholders and communities to regenerate land where some of these natural landscapes have been lost.

“We want our customers to know that by choosing to buy their paper products from Officeworks, they’re helping to restore Australia’s natural environment.”

Greening Australia CEO, Brendan Foran, said: “Partners like Officeworks are critical in enabling Greening Australia to reach our ambitious goals for landscape restoration in Australia. As we face the intensifying realties of climate change and work to overcome our biggest environmental challenges, milestones like planting the one millionth tree for the Restoring Australia initiative remind us that progress is being made. Together, we are working to protect Australia’s unique and diverse landscapes now and into the future.”

Greening Australia’s Candice Parker with landholder Andrew Kelly, inspecting one year old trees planted in the 2020 season. Image by Annette Ruzicka.

Restoring Australia is part of Officeworks’ People & Planet Positive 2025 commitments that support the aspirations of their team members and communities, reducing environmental impacts, and sourcing products in sustainable and responsible ways.

For more information on the initiative visit: www.officeworks.com.au/restoringaustralia.