WE ALL NEED TREES
Our well-being, communities, wildlife and planet. We all need trees to survive.
Trees as a Technology
More and more, we are turning to technology to help us tackle the ever-growing environmental crisis. But the irony is that the perfect technology already exists, and has done for millions of years - trees!
Trees are champions when it comes to multitasking. They produce oxygen, are good for our brains and give us shade, shelter, nutritious foods and life-saving medicines. Trees are our secret weapon against climate change, while also providing homes for iconic wildlife like koalas and cockatoos.
We have a mission to save and grow two billion trees by 2030. Together, we can safeguard our forests for generations to come.
Our well-being. Our communities. Our wildlife. Our planet. We all need trees.
Why we need trees
Climate
Fighting climate change
Trees are our secret weapon when it comes to fighting climate change. Acting as the lungs of the planet, through the process of photosynthesis, trees pull carbon out of the air, store it and replace it with oxygen. This helps to lower CO² emissions and slow global heating, lessening the impacts of rising temperatures and disasters like bushfires and floods. Not only that, trees form an important part of the rain cycle, and their roots grow deep into the ground, stopping soil erosion and reducing the impacts of landslides and flooding.
Health
Our health and well-being
Trees and forests have been scientifically proven to be good for our physical and mental health. Trees produce the oxygen we breathe, provide shade and shelter, and not only can we eat their fruits, nuts and seeds, many of our life-saving medicines come from plants too. They have also been scientifically proven to be good for our brains. That calm feeling you get after walking through a park? You can thank trees for that. Trees also play an important role in purifying our water and air, as well as protecting us from heat and rising temperatures.
Wildlife
Our Aussie animals
Trees provide vital food and homes for our unique Aussie wildlife. Not only do many of our iconic animals, like koalas, possums, fruit bats and birds, eat different parts of trees, they also use trees and forests for shelter by building their homes in branches and tree hollows. Even fish use the roots of trees growing in or near their aquatic homes for food, shade and protection from predators. In fact, it’s estimated that 700 threatened animal species across Australia depend in some way on forests. Just another reason we need to conserve as many trees as possible.
Country
Country and Culture
Trees are integral to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. Trees are a vital part of the way First Peoples have traditionally lived and sustainably thrived on Country for thousands of years. Trees are a traditional source of medicine, food, transport and a variety of tools for First Peoples. For example, Noongar Peoples traditionally used Balga (Grass Tree) resin as glue in spear-making and in patching up water containers.
New Report - Trees: the forgotten heroes of our health
Read about the incredible health and wellness benefits that trees provide.
How you can help our forests
Trees, and the benefits that come with them, are disappearing at alarming rates due to deforestation. Every second we lose two trees to deforestation in Australia; that equates to a whopping 70 million trees each year. Here are some of the ways you can help us make sure trees are around for years to come:
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The dream wilderness escape competition has now ended. Congratulations to our winner B. Hayes of 2913.