At Bstore, we are incredibly proud that in 2021 we are planting one tree for every pair of shoes purchased. Since we launched the initiative to now in June 2021 that equates to almost 22,000 trees. Our target is to plant 100,000 trees.

The first project that we are supporting is a reforestation project in Canna, West Australia with the Carbon Farming Foundation.

Who are the Carbon Farming Foundation?

The Carbon Farming Foundation (CFF) is a registered Australian Charity which was founded in October 2020. Their ambition is to rapidly scale carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emission reduction activities in the Australian food and agriculture sector. Their overarching goal is to regenerate one million hectares of Australian agricultural land by 2030.

The story of the Carbon Farming Project at Canna

The Carbon Farming Foundation currently manages a substantial biodiverse reforestation project located in the Northern Wheatbelt of Western Australia, near the small township of Canna.

This reforestation project covers 6,000 Hectares, made up of three farms, Colganatta, Mulloncoola and Treelies. Like most of the Wheatbelt, these areas were covered in native woodland up until as recently as the 1980’s, when they were cleared for farming. Since then, the landscape has become more and more degraded and less viable for agricultural production.

The project will help deliver on CFF's goals of land regeneration and will be delivered as a reforestation carbon farming project. Carbon farming simply put, is creating plantations of trees, shrubs, and native vegetation, which reduce Greenhouse Gases in the natural environment. This is done by pulling carbon from the atmosphere and holding it in vegetation and soils. This will also help improve soil health and structure, buffer against drought, and allow greater water efficiency.

The plantings on the project began in 2016 and have been increasing year on year. So far 2,500 Hectares have been revegetated with biodiverse plantings and we will be planting a further 700 Hectares this year. As the project is based in a semi-arid region and temperate climate, the seedlings are planted in winter, during the wettest months of July and August to give them the best chance of survival. There are no pesticides or herbicides used in the plantings.

A diverse mix of over 30 different plant species that are native to the landscape are planted to replicate what happens in nature, as closely as possible. The plantings will be a combination of seedlings and direct seeding. The seedlings are raised in a nursery and produce overstory plants which are predominantly native Eucalypts. The seeds are planted directly into the soil and make up the lower layers of shrubs and pioneer tree species, these include a variety of melaleucas, she-oaks and wattles. The project aims to create broad wildlife corridors by connecting any existing remaining vegetation within the locality. This serves to protect and enhance the biodiversity of the area, as well as provide shelter and habitats for wildlife.

The seeds and seedlings are sourced locally in partnership with local enterprises. This year Noongar Land Enterprise, a local First Nations charity has supplied a portion of the seedlings. The seeds have been collected from the area, mainly from roadside reserves.

All the plantations are part of a formal carbon credit project and come with strict monitoring and ongoing care requirements. There will be a carbon right over the land, which effectively secures the future of the trees in perpetuity. CFF will manage this project on an ongoing basis, maintaining the trees and fire breaks, for a minimum 100 years. The aim is to revegetate the land as cost effectively as possible, and then to let nature take over, so that other native species also return. Eventually then birds, insects and wildlife get their home back. This project aims to become a model that will inspire others, especially farmers.

For more information on the Carbon Farming Foundation and their projects, please visit their website. If you have questions on our 1-For-1 Tree Project, please contact us at happyfeet@bstore.com.au