The Forktree Project

The primary aim of Forktree Project, founded and led by Tim Jarvis AM, is to be a showcase of what is possible in terms of land regeneration and restoration of native habitat for both biodiversity and carbon sequestration. The project involves restoring  54 hectares (133 acres) of degraded farmland on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula with native vegetation to achieve this.

When complete, the project will support a native ecosystem of c. 50,000+ trees and mature shrubs rather than the 30-40 native trees on site when the project began in 2019. Restoring the land will bring huge biodiversity benefits as well as sequester tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon, helping combat the two biggest threats facing us – climate change and biodiversity loss.

The Forktree Project is also aiding and promoting widescale habitat restoration across the Hills and Fleurieu region through the work of its Rare Seed Orchard and Nursery:

Rare Seed Orchard: in partnership with the Seed Conservation Centre of the South Australian Botanic Gardens, The Forktree Project is growing some of the rarest species in the state with a view to harvesting seed for propagation and direct seeding across the region.

Nursery: The Forktree Project is proud of its on-site nursery, where 20,000+ native plants of over 85 endemic species are grown each year, not just for planting on site but also for a range of large-scale habitat restoration projects and partners.

Alongside  the restoration of biodiverse native habitat on site, The Forktree Project is providing experiential sustainability education to school students and the wider community, thereby widening its impact far beyond the geographical boundaries of the property.

Specific objectives:

1. To protect biodiversity and combat climate change on site, across the region and more broadly.

2. To showcase what can be done in terms of land regeneration and meaningful habitat restoration-based carbon offsets..

3. To look at how the Australian Carbon Credit Units system can be made more accessible to landowners to encourage more land restoration.

04. To serve as an educational resource for schools and the wider community, and to encourage and empower others to explore small scale land regeneration initiatives.

05. To contribute to habitat restoration across the region via the Forktree Rare Seed Orchard (as a repository for endangered native plant species and source of much-needed seed) and the Forktree Nursery (for the propagation of native species for planting at Forktree and elsewhere).

For more information on The Forktree Project, click here.