Two-hundred-thousand trees are being planted across 40 hectares in Ensay as part of a reforestation program aimed at capturing carbon and restoring local ecosystems.
The plantings are part of the Nestlé Global Reforestation Program, which in Australia aims to establish 10 million trees in partnership with Greening Australia, Canopy and One Tree Planted.
Landholders and beef producers, Ken and Kym Skews, became involved in the project in 2024 to take hard to manage country and give it renewed purpose.
“Our goal is for the farm to be more efficient and easier to run, and our hope is that being part of this project and the associated fencing will help us meet this goal,” Mr Skews said.
“As the trees mature, we anticipate they will provide shade and create windbreaks for our cattle, and the fencing around the planting areas will help to protect both the trees and the cattle. I expect we’ll even be able to run more livestock with the addition of exclusion fencing. We’re also pleased the seeds being planted come mostly from our property and our neighbours’ lands.
“Projects like this are made possible with organisations like Nestlé, Greening Australia and One Tree Planted. Collaboration with us as the landholders has worked effectively – trust is key for us, and we’ve found that with Greening Australia. We’ve had a lot of input and Martin and the rest of the Greening Australia team have been great to work with.”
The Nestlé Global Reforestation Program aims to grow 200 million trees globally by 2030 and is part of Nestlé’s efforts to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
The 10 million trees in Australia aim to capture an estimated 1.9 million tonnes of CO2 over a 25-year carbon crediting period.
Working in collaboration with local landholders and communities, over two million trees have been planted in Australia to date, with the aim to restore local biodiversity, improve water quality, and revitalise degraded soils at sites across the country.
“Nestlé has set the target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, reaching a 50 per cent reduction by 2030 – and a goal of 10 million trees in Australia, aiming to capture around 1.9 million tonnes of CO2,” Nestlé Oceania director of sustainability, Margaret Stuart, said.
“But this is about much more than just planting trees – this program aims to improve biodiversity, help restore habitats, and provide environmental and economic benefits to local communities.”
Greening Australia executive director of restoration, Paul Della Libera, said that partnership and collaboration were key to driving impact and change across Australian landscapes.
“To address the twin challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change we must work together, finding innovative ways to drive speed and scale. Working with partners such as Nestlé allows us to undertake ambitious projects that will help to deliver real change and tangible benefits to the Australian landscape,” he said.
“These projects are not possible without the participation of private landholders. In the 40 years we’ve been restoring landscapes, we’ve worked with thousands of landholders, helping them to re-establish native habitat, improve the health of their land and create environmental and financial value. These relationships are essential to achieving nature restoration at scale, we couldn’t do this work without them.”