On Dja Dja Wurrung Country in Central Victoria, Grace is partnering with Greenfleet to restore the native biodiverse ecosystem. The site known as Ngulambarra, means “meeting place” in Djaara language. The objective of the project is to restore endangered temperate woodlands where the land had been cleared, enhance biodiversity and support the values of the Traditional Owners.
This September, Peter Barclay, Business Manager – Bendigo Region from Grace Information Management, joined other volunteers to participate in a tree planting activity at Ngulambarra. The event started with a traditional Indigenous smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country speech by Jason Kerr – Djaara Traditional Owner.
The endangered temperate woodlands the volunteers are restoring once covered large areas of South-Eastern Australia. Since European settlement, one third of Australia’s woodlands have disappeared and Victoria has lost 83% of its woodland ecosystems to land clearing. What remains is the most threatened wooded ecosystem in Australia. The birds, mammals and reptiles that inhabit these areas are in sharp decline, and the drier climate is threatening the remaining fragmented landscape.
The trees the volunteers have planted on the day:
- Reconnect habitat for isolated populations of threatened species, including Lace Monitors, Woodland Blind Snakes as well as native birds such as Little Button-quails, Shy Heathwrens, Inland Thornbills and many other species listed as vulnerable or endangered.
- Take critical climate action by creating legally protected biodiverse, native forests on the property.
- Improve site hydrology, soil erosion and salinity issues.
- Create climate resilient ecosystems to help safeguard precious woodlands from the impacts of climate change.
- Support Traditional Owners in the active management of natural resources on site to ensure connection to Country, and to develop sustainable economic outcomes for their community.
The impact Grace is making with Greenfleet is preventing, halting, and reversing the degradation of the unique ecosystem at Ngulambarra. “It’s a really wonderful initiative to give back to our nature. The smoking ceremony conducted by Jason was really inspiring and gave me a great insight into the Indigenous culture!” said Peter.
The reforestation of the site is to establish a healthier ecosystem, with richer biodiversity, increase critical wildlife habitat, less soil erosion, stronger soil hydration, increase carbon sequestration yield, and agency through land management for Traditional Owners.
Grace has been partnering with Greenfleet since 2019, with the goal to completely offset carbon emissions generated by our vehicle fleet. Greenfleet offsets carbon emissions via an innovative native reforestation program across Australia and New Zealand. Their mission is to protect our climate by restoring our forests, planting native biodiverse forests to offset carbon emissions. Grace expects to continue its partnership with Greenfleet into the future to protect Australia’s unique wildlife and native forests by mitigating our fleet’s impact on the environment.
