How Planted with Purpose is Restoring Nature and Wildlife
Protecting Salmon and Rainforest on Vancouver Island in Canada
On the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, the Salmon Habitat Preservation project is repairing the damage wrought by decades of logging across the coastal temperate rainforests of Barkley and Clayoquot Sound, one of Canada's most biodiverse and ecologically significant regions.
Logging stripped the land of the tree cover that native salmon depend upon to survive. Without healthy forest, water temperatures rise, water quality deteriorates, and channel stability breaks down. Increased landslides from logging activity have further damaged freshwater ecosystems, putting the entire food chain at risk. Salmon are not just a keystone species, they are a critical food source for the island's broader wildlife.
By replanting trees across degraded watersheds, the project is restoring the cool, clean waterways that salmon need to thrive. Healthier forests mean healthier rivers, and healthier rivers mean a restored food chain for the remarkable wildlife and ecosystems of Vancouver Island.
Creating Koala Habitat in Queensland, Australia
Just an hour west of Brisbane, the Hidden Vale Koala Habitat project is regenerating native forest to support one of Australia's most iconic and vulnerable species: the koala.
Several areas of the Hidden Vale property are known koala hotspots, and restoration work is directly focused on expanding koala habitat and creating connected wildlife corridors that allow koalas to move safely through the landscape.
Once degraded land is now being transformed into native forest that improves biodiversity, enhances water quality, and links fragmented patches of habitat, giving koalas and the broader wildlife community a more connected and resilient home for generations to come.
Restoring Indonesia’s Coastal Mangrove Forests
Across the coastal regions of Riau and Nusa Tenggara Timur, this mangrove restoration project is rebuilding one of Indonesia's most vital natural ecosystems. Mangroves are critical buffers between land and sea, protecting shorelines from erosion, filtering water, and creating rich nursery habitat for fish, crabs, birds, and countless marine species.
In Riau, decades of logging and plantation expansion have degraded coastal ecosystems, reducing biodiversity and natural coastal protection. Restoration teams are repairing tidal flows, replanting native mangroves, and stabilising shorelines to support natural regeneration. As mangroves return, they strengthen coastlines, sequester carbon, and restore habitat for wildlife.
In Nusa Tenggara Timur, degraded aquaculture ponds and salt flats are being converted back into mangrove forest. New growth is reconnecting fragmented habitat, enhancing biodiversity, and strengthening resilience to flooding and soil erosion.
As these coastal forests regenerate, they once again provide shelter and breeding grounds for diverse marine and bird species, strengthening biodiversity both above and below the waterline. What was once cleared and vulnerable coastline is steadily becoming a resilient, living ecosystem again.
Reconnecting Critical Habitat in Western Australia’s Gondwana Link
In the biodiversity hotspot of southwestern Western Australia, the Gondwana Link restoration project is rebuilding habitats across one of the most ecologically significant landscapes in the country. Spanning 1,000 kilometres, Gondwana Link is reconnecting fragmented bushland across the southern Wheatbelt, where Eucalypt Woodlands are now listed as a Critically Endangered ecological community.
Once covering vast areas of the Wheatbelt, these woodlands supported an extraordinary diversity of wildflowers and wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. Decades of clearing for agriculture have left many areas fragmented and unable to regenerate without support, placing more than 18 threatened species at risk, including Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo, Malleefowl, Red-tailed Wambenger, and False Plumed-Banksia.
By restoring degraded farmland within the Central Zone of Gondwana Link, this project is expanding the footprint of native vegetation and rebuilding essential habitat corridors. Replanting native species helps stabilise soils, improve water balance, and recreate the layered woodland structure that birds, mammals, and pollinators rely on for food and shelter.
As patches of bushland reconnect, wildlife can move more safely across the landscape, strengthening genetic diversity and long-term ecosystem resilience. Alongside carbon sequestration, this work is restoring one of Australia’s most unique and threatened ecosystems, helping secure a future for the species that depend on it.
Restoring Riparian Forest Along the Somass River in Canada
Further north in British Columbia, the Somass Estuary Reforestation project is regenerating degraded riparian forest along the Somass River, a vital salmon migration corridor that was historically cleared through colonisation and industrial activity.
The project targets a site with high-moisture soils ideally suited to reforestation, selecting native species that match the natural composition of riparian ecosystems and are resilient to a changing climate. Restoring tree cover will reduce water temperatures, stabilise riverbanks, and suppress invasive species, including blackberry, that have taken hold in the absence of native forest.
The result will be a richer, more biodiverse riparian ecosystem that supports the salmon migration the river has long sustained.
When Forests Recover, Everything Follows
From the salmon rivers of Vancouver Island to the coastlines of Indonesia, the projects we support through Planted with Purpose are restoring ecosystems at scale. When forests recover, wildlife follows, and the natural world becomes a little more whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Planted with Purpose Program
What is Planted with Purpose?
Through Planted with purpose, Flight Centre customers help fund real reforestation projects around the world.
Together, we’ve funded over 3 million trees in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Morocco, Indonesia, Mexico and Guatemala. These projects restore native ecosystems and, in some regions, support rural communities with sustainable livelihoods.
Your tree will be planted in one of these amazing locations making a positive impact both for nature and the people who care for it.
Does this initiative offset my trip?
No. Planted with Purpose is not a carbon offset program and does not make your trip carbon neutral. Instead, it supports ecosystem restoration projects that rebuild Reforestation is about more than planting trees. When done well, it's a catalyst for social transformation—creating sustainable livelihoods, empowering marginalised communities, and rebuilding the deep connections between people and their landscapes.
It’s a positive step for nature, but it doesn’t cancel out the emissions from your journey.
Who is Reforest?
Reforest is a Brisbane-based social enterprise that helps organisations take meaningful, nature-positive action.
They work with businesses across Australia and internationally to support high-integrity reforestation and ecosystem restoration projects. Through partnerships with carefully vetted, on-the-ground planting teams, Reforest has helped enable tree planting initiatives across multiple countries, restoring habitats and supporting local communities.
Reforest’s approach is built on integrity, transparency, and long-term impact. To learn more click here.
How Tree Planting Works
Who plants the trees?
We work with trusted, local planting partners in each region.
These teams understand their landscapes deeply. They know which species belong there, how to restore degraded ecosystems, and how to care for trees long term. Many of our international projects also create employment and training opportunities within local communities.
Local knowledge is essential. Restoration only works when it is done by people who understand the land.
What kind of trees are being planted?
Restoration is not about planting as many trees as possible. It’s about planting the right trees, in the right place, at the right time.
In Australia, projects focus on biodiverse mixes of native species that reflect the original ecosystem. Internationally, projects may include native species and food forest trees that support both biodiversity and local livelihoods. This helps ensure long-term care and protection.
Healthy ecosystems are diverse, and our planting reflects that.
When will the trees be planted?
Planting depends on seasonal conditions. Trees need the right rainfall and climate to survive, so planting times vary by region. Depending on the project location, your tree could be planted within weeks, or it may be scheduled for the next suitable planting season, sometimes up to 12 months away.
Transparency & Tree Protection
How do I know the trees are actually planted and protected?
We partner with Reforest, a Brisbane-based social enterprise, who take this responsibility seriously. All projects go through a strict integrity and verification process. Our planting partners provide regular updates, including geo-tagged photos and progress reports. These show planting activity and early growth stages.
You can follow project updates and see photos by subscribing to the Reforest newsletter.
We focus on transparency because restoration should be something you can trust.
What happens if a fire or other event destroys the trees?
Reforestation always carries risk, especially in a changing climate.
Local partners actively manage risk through careful species selection, fire planning, over-planting where appropriate, and diversified project locations. We also spread planting across multiple regions to reduce exposure to any single event.
While no project can eliminate risk entirely, long-term ecosystem restoration is designed to withstand challenges and continue regenerating over time.
Visiting & Staying Connected
Will I be notified when my tree is planted?
Individual planting notifications are not currently provided (but coming soon!).
However, you can follow project progress and see updates via the Reforest project page and newsletter.
Can I visit the trees?
We totally understand the desire to visit your trees – we're tree lovers too! However, some of the projects are on private land or in sensitive locations, so we can’t always guarantee public access. But don’t worry, depending on where you are based, and where the projects are located, you may be able to take part in a community planting day (at your own cost).
To find out more about community planting days that you and your customers can attend, sign up to the Reforest newsletter.
