It's been two years since Northern Midlands farmer Julian von Bibra started working with Greening Australia and Officeworks to revegetate his property as part of a national Restoring Australia initiative.
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The partnership aims to restore some of Australia's natural habitat, by off-setting the production of paper products with the planting of new trees in some of the country's most ecologically-damaged regions.
For Mr von Bibra, whose family have lived on the Ross property for more than 100 years, forming community connections has become a vital part of ensuring future generations continue the agricultural legacy.
"My great-grandfather purchased the property in 1916. So we've had it passed down through the family ... five generations," he said.
"So you have this enormous connection with the community and with the land and you get to see things change over time.
"It's been a really positive part of that story, in terms of getting help from outside and sharing the burden of looking after a community good."
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In Tasmania, the project's focus is on the Tasmanian Island Ark region, which is home to many endangered species.
This partnership with landholders recreates more than 6000 hectares of new habitat by planting eucalyptus, acacias and tea tree varieties, creating natural corridors for native wildlife to traverse the paddocks across farms in the region.
Mr von Bibra said the scale of the project had far exceeded his expectations, particularly the partnerships and the sharing of resources.
"We are involved in agriculture and our skills tend to be looking after crops and animals," he said.
"Tree planting is another science. It's meant we've had access to some really skilled people at that sort of facet of farming.
"They've been able to get some good results, and manage that practice while we focus on the agricultural land.
"This area has been put aside for conservation and as a riparian zone, then managed accordingly. It has been so rewarding to see that take place."
Looking to the future, Mr von Bibra said as a landowner he had become a "small piece of the puzzle" in reacting to climate change and the man-made impact and on the land.
"Greeting Australia have a vision to link the Eastern and the Western tier," he said.
"It is facilitating movement of rare and threatened species, and giving them the ability to shift through these corridors, to ensure they can adapt to climate change.
"They can migrate through these corridors and ensure survival in perhaps a more suited landscape."
Jessica Willard
Being a health reporter to me is about more than just reporting the problems. It's about asking why they are happening in the first place and what needs to change to fix it.
Being a health reporter to me is about more than just reporting the problems. It's about asking why they are happening in the first place and what needs to change to fix it.
