One of Country Road’s Climate Fund recipients has successfully established a conservation covenant across 79 hectares of Victorian farmland, securing vital habitat for a critically endangered species of bird.
The Climate Fund was initially launched in 2022, with Country Road pledging $1.5 million over its first three years to projects that drive positive environmental change.
Since its launch, the Climate Fund has supported seven projects across four key pillars - biodiversity, circularity, First Nations led projects and innovation.
Among these initiatives is one of Australia’s oldest conservation organisations, Trust for Nature, which has made significant strides in protecting and restoring grassland habitat for Australia’s critically endangered Plains-wanderer, 18 months after receiving a $200,000 grant from Country Road.
The Plains-wanderer has seen its habitat drastically reduced due to land development and agricultural practices.
Trust for Nature has been addressing this challenge through a unique partnership with wool growers in Victoria’s Southern Mallee region, aiming to enhance and protect the grasslands essential for the survival of this species.
The Bear family farm in Victoria’s Northern Plains was selected for the initiative, ensuring that 79 hectares of land will be permanently protected.
Jo and Greg Bear, who run a holistic grazing enterprise, have embraced their involvement in the project.
“We’ve created a system now where we can look after the environment while looking after the sheep,” they said. “It’s really lovely, because I think the sheep really enjoy it here, and they’re really making a positive impact on the environment, for our grasslands, and I think our grasslands are making a positive impact on the sheep.
“It’s a really great way to farm, and we’re pretty proud of it. We want to protect that for the future.”
Trust for Nature (Victoria) CEO Corinne Proske said the project is a remarkable demonstration of how conservation and primary production can co-exist.
“Through the partnership with Country Road, we’ve been able to permanently protect close to 80 hectares of native grassland – vital habitat for the critically endangered Plains-wanderer – on a property that is also used to support wool production,” Proske said.
“The partnership contributes to a broader project on the grasslands, which will permanently protect 650 hectares. This is an outstanding example of co-investment in nature across sectors.”
Trust for Nature added that the initial investment from Country Road has inspired further contributions from other donors and garnered government interest, helping to scale their activities to permanently protect larger areas of grasslands.