Global concern over fertiliser supply chains has again highlighted a hard truth for Australian agriculture: we rely heavily on imported nutrients to sustain production. Our level of dependence leaves farmers exposed to the type of freight disruptions, currency movement and geopolitical shock the war between America, Israel and Iran has recently instigated.

Australia may import fertiliser, but at the same time, we allow valuable nutrients to leave productive systems every day. The real opportunity is not simply securing more fertiliser. It is building better nutrient cycling.

Across the investment world, the term natural capital is now being spoken in the same breath as infrastructure assets. It represents a profound shift in mindset: recognising that nature is not just scenery or sentiment, but capital - productive, measurable, and essential to every other form of wealth. It recognises that the economy is not separate from nature, but exists within nature, and sustaining the environment around us that supports the economy means putting a value on it. Based on ecological engineering principles, Verterra has build a blurprint for the next generation of natural capital investing - the Performance Ecosystm.

When land rehabilitation fails, the cause is rarely at the surface. Vegetation struggles to establish. Slopes erode. Water runs off instead of infiltrating. Closure criteria are missed. Carbon, forestry, or biodiversity projects underperform. And ultimately, remediation costs escalate.

In most cases, the problem can be traced back to one thing: the soil beneath our feet.

At Verterra, soil sampling is not a box-ticking exercise. It is the foundation of every successful rehabilitation, soil amelioration and land-performance outcome we deliver.

‍Across Australia, biosolids are becoming an increasingly valuable resource for improving soil health, boosting productivity and closing nutrient loops. Yet despite decades of safe use and clear state and national guidelines for usage, misconceptions still hold many landholders back from taking advantage of this opportunity.

At Verterra, we work with utilities, processors and farmers to develop safe, reliable and scientifically robust biosolids programs. Below, we break down some of the most common myths—and the real facts behind them.

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Queensland’s Bowen River catchment has the dubious honour of being home to some of the highest sediment loads entering the Great Barrier Reef. But now, a groundbreaking project aims to help change that by setting a new benchmark for privately funded gully repair.

Operating under the Reef Credits Gully Method, the Bowen Gully Rehabilitation Project, completed construction in September, and has the potential to reduce sediment load to the Great Barrier Reef by up to 500 tonnes per year. Verterra Ecological Engineering delivered the project, leveraging its deep expertise in land rehabilitation and soil amelioration to deliver a solution that will transform the eroded landscape and help safeguard the future of the Great Barrier Reef.

As demand for climate-positive land use grows, reforestation projects are becoming increasingly common across Australia. Whether driven by regulatory requirements, sustainability goals, or carbon market participation, these projects present an opportunity to restore native ecosystems but only if they’re planned and implemented with ecological integrity in mind. We spoke with one of Verterra’s environmental and forest scientists, Kristiina Marquardt, to explore what’s really required to design and deliver a successful reforestation effort.

As the demand for measurable ESG outcomes accelerates, forward-thinking organisations are shifting from offset-based compliance to on-ground investment in natural capital. A leading example is the Fitzroy River Water Quality Improvement Project, delivered by Verterra Ecological Engineering.

Ecological engineering is rapidly emerging as a critical tool for businesses under pressure to meet ESG expectations — not just on paper, but in practice. This isn’t a theoretical framework — it’s a proven approach Verterra has applied across mining, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, and urban development.

While reforestation and environmental plantings remain vital tools, Australia's diverse landscapes offer many more innovative opportunities for carbon capture.

The dual challenges of global warming and global biodiversity loss are now recognised as linked, and frameworks for global action have been agreed.   

Glenn Dale's reflection on the Global Nature Positive Summit, the first global dialogue aimed at exploring and initiating effective ways to realise global commitments under the December 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.