Our story
Restoring forests through knowledge, culture & care
OUR MISSION
Restoring the health of forests, not just for today, but for generations to come.
The Healthy Forests Foundation brings together First Nations knowledge and the best available science to care for forests in a way that is holistic, grounded & enduring. By identifying vulnerable places, creating thoughtful plans, and working on Country, we put restoration into action.
Here’s how we do it —
Public education
We share knowledge through an open, growing library of research and resources that promote forest health. By supporting First Nations expertise, we foster deeper public understanding of cultural land management practices.
Forest repair projects
We work on Country with First Nations communities, scientists, and locals to restore forest health in priority places. Our projects follow rigorous environmental standards, enabling impact through nature repair, markets & ESG (environment, social and governance) investment.
Trusted partner
We collaborate with researchers, government, and industry to pilot and scale better ways to care for forests. As a constructive and moderate voice, we support policy and partnerships that lead to lasting change.
OUR APPROACH
We believe humanity has a duty to take active steps to ensure the health of our forests for future generations.
We believe caring for forests is not only a responsibility, it’s a necessity. Healthy, well-managed forests support all life: they clean our air and water, protect biodiversity, and nourish our physical and mental wellbeing. But many forests across Australia are in decline, threatened by fire, invasive species & a changing climate. Without human care, these ecosystems cannot heal on their own.
The Healthy Forests Foundation brings together First Nations knowledge, science & community to restore degraded forests. We’re action-oriented and solutions-focused — committed to raising awareness, building partnerships and doing the work needed to create long-term resilience for forests, people and planet.
Grounded in knowledge
Our humanistic approach to forest management is what sets us apart from the idealistic approaches taken by traditional environmental organisations. Importantly, our approach is consistent with the way Australia’s forests were managed by First Nations people prior to European settlement along with the latest local and international research, reports, recommendations and frameworks.
Some noteworthy ones we recommend reading include:
Our Knowledge, Our Way in caring for Country Best Practice Guidelines
The Healthy Forests Foundation will be guided by the Our Knowledge, Our Way in caring for Country Best Practice Guidelines when engaging with Traditional Owners and on their Country.
The Indigenous-led development of the Guidelines was produced in partnership with the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance and the CSIRO. It provides guidance on the best practice when working with Traditional Owners and their Indigenous knowledge.
The Guidelines recognise Indigenous peoples are connected to Country and culture through their knowledge systems. It also recognises the benefits of applying Indigenous knowledge in management of Country to help solve Australia’s complex environmental challenges.
The Guidelines give a voice to Indigenous land and sea managers to strengthen and share knowledge in caring for Country. Importantly, it recognises knowledge is owned by Traditional Owners and it must not be misappropriated, misused, used without consent or commercially exported without benefits flowing to the communities.
Read the Our Knowledge, Our Way in caring for Country Best Practice
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
The Healthy Forests Foundation respectfully acknowledges Aboriginal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land and water on which all Australians rely. First Nations peoples have actively cared for and managed Australian landscapes for millennia.
Our philosophy is underpinned by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration is universal framework that sets out the minimum standards for the survival, dignity, wellbeing and rights of the world’s Indigenous Peoples.
It ensures Indigenous Peoples rights, amongst others, for self-determination.
In line with this framework, we are committed to resurgent Indigenous conservation which seeks to honour Indigenous knowledge and values, empower Indigenous communities as stewards of their ancestral lands, and promote conservation approaches that are inclusive, equitable, and sustainable.
Read about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Blueprint to Repair Australia’s Landscapes
The Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists is an independent group of eminent scientists and professionals focused on solution-based policy reform relating to water, land and biodiversity.
Together with experts from academia, government and business the Wentworth Group have produced an evidence-based 30-year plan to repair Australia’s landscapes. This important piece of work provides the blueprint for practical actions and investments to achieve a healthy, productive and resilient Australia.
The Blueprint outlines a holistic approach to repairing landscapes, including forested landscapes.
It focuses on taking actions at the regional scale, drawing on Traditional Owner Knowledge as well as supporting the knowledge of regional communities.
Importantly the Blueprint recognises the deep connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have with the land and their important role in caring for Country.
We welcome the Blueprint as a sensible approach to a significant problem. Mismanagement and inaction over the last 250 have led to unhealthy forests. We need to intervene and be part of the solution.
The State of the Environment 2021
In 2022, a report released by the Australian Government found the outlook for our environment is poor and deteriorating. The State of the Environment report (SoE 2021) said this is because of pressures such as climate change, invasive species, land clearing and resource extraction. It sent a clear message that these pressures need to be managed or the ecosystem will further deteriorate resulting in more extinctions.
Pleasingly, the 2021 report included Indigenous Knowledge to create a more holistic assessment of our environment. It recognised the importance of learning from Traditional land management practices and presents opportunities to achieve more sustainable outcomes.
We believe the management of climate change derived pressures and invasive species can only be achieved through active management and in consultation with Traditional Owners.
The State of the World’s Forests 2024
The recent report published by the Committee on Forestry, the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) top forestry governing body, looks to evidence-based innovation and action to achieve sustainable forest outcomes.
They found they world’s forests are becoming increasingly susceptible to climate change driven stressors such as fire and pests. In their report, barriers and enablers of innovation were identified and, importantly, actions to empower people to innovate and have positive impacts in forest management activities.
Our approach and philosophy align with the recommendations arising from the report. Including engaging with Traditional Owners to develop locally led solutions for managing forests on their Country. Like the FAO, we recognise the importance of science and innovation to deliver solutions for our unhealthy forests, but also the need to be innovative in the financial sector in how a healthy forests can be valued – even beyond the carbon market.
FIRST NATIONS
Led by knowledge, grounded in Country
The Healthy Forests Foundation is proud to support resurgent Indigenous conservation — a growing movement that honours the knowledge, values, and leadership of First Nations peoples. Through the Djidi djidi network, an advisory group of cultural knowledge holders, and our work on Country, we are guided by those with the deepest connection to land.
One of these stories belongs to Elder Uncle David ‘Buzzy’ Hewat, a Gunnai Kurnai Croajingalong man, who stewards his ancestral land in the Deddick Valley. Using Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Uncle Buzzy’s work restores the health of forests while passing on cultural practices to the next generations, ensuring Country is cared for with respect, knowledge & love.
WALK WITH US
See how you can be part of the work.
Whether you’re learning, sharing, or getting hands-on, your contribution helps forests and communities grow stronger.
The Healthy Forests Foundation respectfully acknowledges Aboriginal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the land and water on which we rely. We also pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past, present and emerging.
First Nations people have actively cared for and managed Australian landscapes for millennia. The Healthy Forests Foundation is committed to tangible partnerships with First Nations people to ensure their Knowledge influences our practices and that our activities reinforce their Custodianship and assist them in caring for Country.