There are many thousands of terrestrial ecological restoration projects across Australia that are, cumulatively, starting to make a difference – particularly where these are part of planned, broad-scale conservation programs.
Terrestrial ecosystems in Australia include:
(i) fire-adapted sclerophyll tree or shrub-dominated communities;
(ii) fire-sensitive rainforest communities;
(iii) grasslands communities and wetting and drying wetlands.
(Coastal saltmarshes are listed under ‘Aquatic’)
1. Sclerophyll forests and woodlands
1a. Monjebup North, Gondwana Link, Western Australia
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2016/03/06/defining-reference-communities-for-ecological-restoration-of-monjebup-north-reserve-in-gondwana-link/
1b. Peniup, Gondwana Link, Western Australia
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2016/03/07/peniup-ecological-restoration-project/
1c. Banksia woodland post-sand extraction, Western Australia
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2016/03/05/post-sand-extraction-restoration-of-banksia-woodlands-swan-coastal-plain-western-australia/
1d. Lord Howe Island environmental programs, New South Wales
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2018/12/20/lord-howe-island-biodiversity-restoration-and-protection-programs-nsw-australia/
1e. Snowy Adit spoil pile restoration, Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2016/03/06/habitat-restoration-at-snowy-adit-kosciuszko-national-park/
1f. Site restoration using prescribed burning, Mt Lofty, South Australia
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2015/12/02/prescribed-burning-provides-opportunities-for-site-restoration-via-weed-management-in-the-mount-lofty-ranges/
2. Rainforest
2a. Rocky Creek Dam rainforest restoration, New South Wales
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2016/03/06/subtropical-rainforest-restoration-at-the-rous-water-rainforest-reserve-rocky-creek-dam-1983-2016/
2b. Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy replantings, New South Wales
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2019/09/14/developments-in-big-scrub-rainforest-restoration-update-of-emr-feature/
ALSO SEE
https://bigscrubrainforest.org
2c. Palm oil to rainforest, Daintree, Queensland
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/from-rainforest-to-oil-palms-and-back-again-a-daintree-rainforest-rescue-in-far-north-queensland/
2d. Donaghy’s Corridor rainforest linkage, Queensland
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2016/03/05/donaghys-corridor-restoring-tropical-forest-connectivity/
2e. Thiaki reforestation project, Queensland
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2016/03/05/thiaki-biodiversity-ecosystem-functioning-and-restoration-experiment/
3. Grassland
3a. Native grassland restoration at Woorndoo, south-west Victoria
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2026/07/31/native-grassland-restoration-a-community-led-project-at-woorndoo-south-west-victoria/
3b. Scottsdale Reserve, Bredbo, New South Wales
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2021/05/02/post-fire-assisted-regeneration-at-scottsdale-reserve-bredbo-nsw/
3c. Macquarie Island rabbit eradication, Sub-Antarctic
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2016/03/05/macquarie-island-pest-eradication-program-impacts-on-vegetation-and-seabirds/
3d. Grassy Groundcover restoration projects, Greening Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales
https://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/projects/grassy-groundcover-restoration/
3e. Marra Creek waterponding, chenopod grasslands, New South Wales
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2019/10/21/waterponding-the-marra-creek-nsw-rangelands-update-of-emr-feature/
3f. Mt Annan, Cumberland Plain Restoration, New South Wales
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2016/03/05/seed-production-and-direct-seeding-to-restore-grassy-understorey-diversity-at-mount-annan-nsw/
4. Freshwater wetlands
4a. The Waterways, Victoria
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2018/07/11/recovery-of-indigenous-plants-and-animals-in-revegetated-areas-at-the-waterways-victoria/
4b. Reedy Lake, Victoria
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2022/06/24/regeneration-of-indigenous-vegetation-at-third-reedy-lake-as-it-has-dried-over-summer-and-autumn-2022/
4c. McDonald’s Swamp, northern Victoria
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2022/06/24/biological-and-cultural-restoration-at-mcdonalds-swamp-in-northern-victoria-australia/
4d. Winton Wetlands, Victoria
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2011/10/26/restoring-the-winton-wetlands-in-north-east-victoria/
4e. Long Swamp
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2016/03/07/long-swamp-discovery-bay-coastal-park-victoria/
4f. Brady Swamp
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2016/03/07/brady-swamp-wetland-complex-grampians-national-park-victoria/
4g. Piccaninnie Ponds
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2016/03/07/piccaninnie-ponds-conservation-park-south-australia/
4h. Rewilding lake edges, Sherwood, Queensland
https://emrprojects.wordpress.com/2023/07/08/3144/
4i. Alpine Bogs and Fens, New South Wales
https://theaustralianalpsnationalparks.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/restoration-mires.pdf
Image credit – Martin Stringer