Grants of up to $10,000 are available to farmers and land managers to plant pollinator-friendly trees that are indigenous to their farms, with Bee Friendly Farming providing farmers and land managers with $1 for every tree planted, thanks to grant partner One Tree Planted.

The program is administered by Wheen Bee Foundation, and CEO Fiona Chambers said the Tree Grants support pollinators while also benefitting farmers.

“The Bee Friendly Farming Tree Grants program is a great opportunity to give landholders an extra incentive to expand their tree planting and provide habitat and diverse floral resources to support pollinators,” Ms Chambers said.

“The grants are one way the Bee Friendly Farming program supports and empowers landholders to manage their land in a way that both supports pollinators and enhances yields from crops.”

To receive a Tree Grant, farms must be certified with Bee Friendly Farming. The grants, which start at $1,000, more than cover certification costs, making it both good for the environment and a sound business investment.

This is the third year the Tree Grants have been offered. So far, 33 Bee Friendly Farming Certified landholders across five states have been approved for grants totaling over $81,000 to plant pollinator-friendly trees.

“The grant program has far exceeded our expectations in terms of area of certified land, coverage across Australia and the range of farmer enterprises signing up to be certified,” Ms Chambers said.

“To date the grant funding is helping establish 92ha of pollinator habitat and that number continues to grow.”

One Tree Planted supports reforestation projects across the globe. Last year, the nonprofit planted over 51 million trees across nearly 400 projects in 72 countries. Each project is managed in partnership with local communities for a range of objectives from forest fire recovery to wildlife habitat expansion.

One Tree Planted Asia Pacific Regional Director Beth Dalgleish said the organisation is keen to continue the partnership and help increase biodiversity on farms and beyond.

“We’re happy to play a role in encouraging food producers to prioritise pollinators and support the planting of locally native trees to attract bees and other beneficial insects,” Ms Dalgleish said.

Successful applicants will receive a contribution of $1 per tree planted, with grants between $1,000 and $10,000 available. Larger grant requests will be considered. Applications must be received on or before 5pm AEST on Tuesday, 10 September 2024.

To be eligible to apply for these Tree Grants, farms must either be a Bee Friendly Farming Certified farm or have a Bee Friendly Farming Certified application submitted and pending approval by the tree grant closing date.

Apply for Tree Grants at www.beefriendlyfarming.org.au/tree-grants-application

Apply to become Bee Friendly Farming certified at www.beefriendlyfarming.org.au/categories/bff-certified

For more information email info@beefriendlyfarming.org.au