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.

In the mining industry, effective sediment control is critical—not just for environmental compliance, but also to build and maintain a sustainable license to operate. Until now, quantifying the actual impact of erosion management strategies has remained difficult, especially across large and complex sites, but Verterra’s novel application of a remote-sensed Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) is changing that. 

For decades, many companies have viewed the environment through a narrow lens: as a resource to extract from or a compliance obligation to manage. But this mindset is shifting — fast.

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.

Plants “breathe in” CO2 and “exhale” oxygen, in the process storing carbon, but just how much does the average tree (and forest) store, and how do we measure this?