The Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor was once a large and vibrant forest of York Gum and Salmon Gum trees. However, with the influx of europeans in the 1900s they cleared 97% of this land for farms. Since this destruction, the soil is no longer suitable for agriculture and farming in this region as it is increasingly uneconomic to sustain.
The Plant-A-Tree Program has been to developed to restore this land back to it’s natural state and connect these small patches of existing vegetation up to the 12 nature reserves to create a green corridor.
The trees and shrubs which are currently planted have since flourished and are re-invigorating the environment and local communities. This progress has also provided support for businesses in surrounding townships, including opportunities for aboriginal communities. Businesses developed from this program include sandalwood production and beekeeping, along with plans to incorporate eco-cultural tourism – such as bush tucker tours.