Aurizon partners with Mackay Regional Council on native reforestation project
Rail freight business Aurizon has partnered with Mackay Regional Council to deliver a native revegetation project at Koumala on 118-hectares of land previously disturbed by land clearing and grazing activities.
Reforestation has involved the planting of 59,000 native seedlings, comprised of a mixture of species found in the Hatfield and Connor Ranges, sourced from Mackay Regional Council’s nursery.
Adjoining the Kelvin National Park, the project brings important environmental and bio-diversity benefits to the region. In addition, it will provide more than 32,000 tonnes of carbon abatement over the next 25 years.
The trees were propagated by Mackay Regional Council nursery staff and community volunteers, with the planting completed by contractor Ecosure. Local contractors were engaged to provide equipment and complete ground preparation works for seedlings to be planted and get established.
Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson said council was proud to partner with Aurizon on this reforestation project. “The successful restoration of this 118-hectare site is a shining example of what can be achieved when local government, private enterprise and the community work together,” Mayor Williamson said. "All the seedlings for this project were propagated locally by the dedicated staff at council’s Mackay Natural Environment Centre,” he said.
“Their expertise and hard work have ensured that these native plants are perfectly suited to thrive in this environment, making a lasting contribution to the region’s ecology.”
The reforested area, as it matures, will enhance biodiversity values in the region by increasing coverage of native vegetation. This is vital for the health and resilience of bio-regionally important ecosystems, including wildlife corridors.
Aurizon Managing Director and CEO, Andrew Harding, on a site visit today (September 4, 2024), congratulated Mackay Regional Council and the team of volunteers who have helped get the project finished.
“The council and local community volunteers have done an amazing job in helping Aurizon deliver this reforestation project for the Mackay region,” Andrew said.
“Aurizon is a major employer and proud contributor to the regional economy. Projects like these demonstrate how we can work together to deliver community and environmental benefit.
“This is also an Australian first for Aurizon, representing our first nature-based carbon-offsetting tree reserve. Over the next 25 years, it is expected to generate more than 32,000 tonnes of carbon abatement – an important initiative in delivering on our target of net zero operational emissions by 2050.”
Aurizon was able to successfully implement this sustainability project, in part, through financial support from a Federal Government Carbon + Biodiversity (C+B) Pilot grant. This funding stream supports establishment of such projects with environmental value for local regions while contributing to carbon sequestration initiatives. This project is registered under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 as an Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme project. The land is expected to generate, on average, approximately 1,300 ACCUs per annum.
