Cropping & Soil
1 June, 2026
Big plans for one million trees
SOUTH west Victoria’s most ambitious landscape restoration program has been launched, with plans to plant one million trees and protect and restore 400 hectares of land by 2040.
LandLife SouthWest was officially launched at the Warrnambool Golf Club on Wednesday, May 20 with a push to get the community, farmers and local organisations involved in restoring landscapes, supporting regenerative agriculture and enhancing coastal and hinterland environments.
An initiative of Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Network (WCLN), Landlife SouthWest is a community-led program dedicated to restoring biodiversity, protecting vital landscapes and supporting sustainable agriculture as a major component of the regional economy.
Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Network senior landcare facilitator Geoff Rollinson said the LandLife SouthWest project was an opportunity to create a healthier, more resilient future.
It aims to plant one million trees and protect and restore 400 hectares of land in Warrnambool and Moyne by 2040.
It also aims to enhance biodiversity through a revegetation and sustainable agriculture program, improve farm productivity through regenerative agricultural practices and increase volunteer participation through planting days and workshops.
“South west Victoria is facing a rapidly changing environment marked by hotter, drier conditions and more frequent climate extremes,” Mr Rollinson said.
“These shifts are placing increasing pressure on townships, communities and agricultural landscapes that have already been heavily modified by decades of intensive farming.
“While highly productive, these systems have contributed to rising carbon and methane emissions, declining soil health, reduced water retention and a significant loss of native biodiversity.”
He believes LandLife SouthWest builds resilience in response to these changing conditions.
“It will open opportunities to connect fragmented native vegetation areas and create wildlife corridors, increase biodiversity and native vegetation, improve soil and water quality and animal health and bring life back to the land”.
The official launch follows 19 successful pilot programs over the past two years, along with several complimentary projects.
Mr Rollinson said they had been oversubscribed by 400 per cent, reflecting the level of interest in restoring remnant vegetation and developing more resilient farming land.
At the project launch, WCLN chairman Bruce Campbell said LandLife SouthWest was not a three-year plan but a 30-year plan to build a truly sustainable agriculture industry in our region.
“It’s a plan to build farm productivity while also building our region’s biodiversity,” Mr Campbell said.
“It’s a plan that will help farmers develop more productive soils and crops, and become more drought resilient. We can increase our flora and fauna while also building the financial capacity of our farmers.”
Launching the plan, Member for Wannon Dan Tehan said it was critically important that Landcare work continues.
“We can care for the country in a way that makes sure our farmers and communities stay resilient and strong,” Mr Tehan said.
“It is critically important for us and for future generations to appreciate the natural environment.”
Panmure beef farmer Stephen Warth and Nirranda dairy farmer Jordy Vallance shared their experiences in the pilot programs, detailing how the environmental projects had improved their farm production and profitability.
“The science is coming along quickly and it’s about how can we adapt that to real-life farms,” Ms Vallance said.
“That’s where funding from places like Landcare helps with setting up.”
Mr Warth said biting the bullet and investing in soil and plant health was good for everyone.
“Resilient farms mean a resilient community and region. We have to insulate ourselves from whatever the climate is going to do.”
LandLife SouthWest has received seed funding from the Fletcher Jones Family, Gall Family, Brodie and Gwen and Edna Jones foundations.
Mr Rollinson said there were opportunities for organisations and landholders to become involved in LandLife Southwest by contacting facilitator@wcln.org.au.