Getting Involved
Visit a forest, reserve or park
Australia has a vast network of national and state forests, reserves and other forest areas that you can visit. Get to know your local environment and enjoy a range of recreational activities including bushwalking, birdwatching, mountain biking, camping, picnicking, and water sports.
Photo: istock
When visiting forests, remember to stay on designated trails, use provided rubbish bins or take your rubbish home with you, and don’t disturb plants or animals or remove them from their natural habitat.
Click on the following clicks, to find out more about forests, parks and reserves in:
- ACT
- Queensland
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
Sustainable Purchasing
You can support sustainable forest management in Australia by purchasing timber products that carry the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) logo or the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC) logo. The Australian Forest Certification Scheme ensures consumers that they are choosing stock from sources that are certified as being derived from sustainably managed forests.
For more information, visit the Australian Forestry Standard website.
You can also support sustainable forest management by buying wood and paper products with recycled content, and by avoiding imported rainforest timbers that may be sourced from unsustainably harvested forests.
Join a Group or Volunteer
You could join or establish a Friends Group for a nearby park or forest reserve. Friends Groups work on important projects to help conserve and protect the natural environment and to enhance the visitor's experience of forests.
Many forests and parks also have volunteer programs, where you can get involved in activities like bush regeneration, seed collection and propagation, and tree planting. For more information, contact your state’s forestry or Parks and Wildlife Service.
You can also get involved in some hands-on conservation work through a community action group. Joining your local Landcare or Bushcare group is a great way to meet like-minded people and make real changes in your local environment.
You can find out about groups in your area by contacting Landcare Australia
Special Events
Trees and forests are celebrated on a number of days throughout the year. Days to mark on your calendar include:
| World Forestry Day | 21 March |
| World Environment Day | 5 June |
| Arbor Week | Last week of July |
| Arbor Day | Monday of Arbor Week |
| Wattle Day | 1 September |
| National Landcare Week | First week of September |
| Biodiversity Month | Month of September |
| National Threatened Species Day | 7 September |
Celebrate these days by visiting and learning more about your local forests. Get involved in one of the many activities held around the country, such as a local tree planting day. You could get your school or workplace involved too, or you could even organise your own conservation event at school, at work, or in your local community.
