Active forest management: building resilience from the ground up 

At the Healthy Forests Foundation, we take a hands-on approach to regenerating landscapes and protecting ecosystems. Through active forest management, we address some of Australia’s most pressing environmental risks—bushfire, invasive species, and ecosystem decline—while supporting national and global sustainability commitments. 

Managing fire risk with cultural and ecological intelligence 

With climate change intensifying bushfire seasons, proactive fire management is essential. Our work includes:

• strategic vegetation management – thinning overgrowth and restoring groundcover diversity to reduce fire severity and improve natural fire resilience
• planned ecological burns – coordinated prescribed burns guided by both ecological data and cultural protocols to maintain healthy fire-adapted ecosystems
• cultural burning – supporting First Nations-led fire programs that reintroduce traditional low-intensity burns as they reduce fuel loads and enhance biodiversity, seed germination and soil health.

Tackling invasive species and pest threats

Invasive plants and animals threaten the health and productivity of our forests. Healthy Forests Foundation delivers:

• detection and mapping – using ground surveys and digital tools to identify high-risk pests
• integrated pest management – applying a mix of manual removal, bio-controls, targeted herbicide use, and landscape design to suppress invasives without harming native species
• community involvement – engaging local landholders in long-term pest monitoring and control.

These measures help restore ecological balance, reduce ongoing maintenance costs, and ensure the success of native regeneration efforts.

Holistic forest stewardship

Our forest management strategy goes beyond planting trees. We focus on the long-term health of entire ecosystems. This includes:

• monitoring plots to assess biodiversity changes
• protecting waterways and adding buffer zones to improve water quality and habitat connectivity.

We also support land managers to embed stewardship at the local level.

Measuring what matters

We monitor our impact through robust and transparent indicators, including:

• hectares of forest and habitat restored
• area under active fire and pest management
• tonnes of carbon sequestered
• increase in native species richness and abundance.

These figures inform our reporting and help us align with Nature Positive outcomes and Net Zero targets.

Alignment with the national goals and sustainable development goals (SDGs)

Healthy Forests Foundation’s active management approach supports:

• Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy
• Threatened Species Action Plan
• National Bushfire Management Policy
• the shift to a circular economy in land care and restoration
• environmental priorities set out in the  Australian Sustainable Finance Taxonomy.

We also directly contribute to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals: