The Science Saving Rainforests program by Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy, featured in the ABC Landline, is a groundbreaking initiative focused on restoring the genetic diversity of Australia’s critically endangered subtropical rainforest. In partnership with institutions like the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, the program involves collecting over 10,000 leaf samples from 60 key tree species across NSW and Queensland.
Using DNA sequencing, the team identifies the most genetically diverse populations and propagates them at a living seed bank in McLeans Ridges.This plantation will supply future restoration projects with resilient, genetically robust seeds—helping protect these vital ecosystems from climate change, pests, and disease.
Our recent blog, inspired by the Landline feature, dives deeper into this innovative effort and encourages everyone to support the Conservancy’s work. Every donation helps preserve Australia’s natural heritage and create a more regenerative future.
Before it was cleared for agriculture, the Big Scrub covered over 75,000 hectares of lush subtropical rainforest in northern New South Wales. Today, less than 1% remains.
Featured on ABC Landline, we’re proud to share the story of the Big Scrub — what was lost, what’s being restored, and how we can all play a role in its future. This project is deeply personal to us at Brookfarm. Our co-founder Martin Brook was among the early advocates for regeneration and continues to lead by example.
Watch the full Landline feature:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/programs/landline/2025-05-11/big-scrub:-bringing-back-australias-big-scrub/105279560
The video takes us on a powerful journey through time, revealing the drastic transformation of the landscape — from thriving rainforest to cleared farmland — and the urgent efforts underway to bring life back to this once-vast ecosystem.
It begins by acknowledging the magnitude of what was lost. Once stretching across the Northern Rivers region, the Big Scrub was one of Australia’s most ecologically diverse rainforests. Land clearing following European settlement reduced it to fragmented pockets, with less than 1% of the original forest remaining. “There used to be a green sea of forest stretching across this whole region. Now, you have to really look for it,” says Martin Brook.
But this isn’t just a story of loss — it’s one of regeneration.
The video introduces viewers to the early efforts to restore what was destroyed. Martin and his family, after acquiring a rundown dairy farm, made a conscious decision not just to farm the land but to heal it. This commitment led to the creation of one of the largest private rainforest regeneration projects in the region, carried out in collaboration with local groups and passionate volunteers.
We witness the return of native species, the re-emergence of wildlife, and the reestablishment of ecological balance. As trees grow, so do the birds, insects, fungi and flora that once called this place home. “When you bring the forest back, the ecosystem follows. It’s nature’s way of saying thank you.”
Regeneration, however, is not guesswork. The process is deeply rooted in science and Indigenous knowledge. From careful seed selection to restoring soil structure and understanding canopy dynamics, the video explains how ecological restoration is both art and science — a deliberate rebuilding of complex natural systems. “We’re not just planting trees — we’re rebuilding ecosystems from the ground up.”
The series also explores the interconnectedness between farming and conservation. It showcases how regenerative agriculture — like the kind practiced at Brookfarm — can coexist with and even enhance reforestation. It presents a hopeful, scalable model where food production and forest protection go hand-in-hand. “Regeneration doesn’t stop at the forest edge. It’s a mindset that transforms everything.”
And finally, it calls on all of us. The Big Scrub can’t come back without community support — through donations, volunteering, spreading the word, or simply becoming more conscious stewards of the land. “The rainforest is coming back — but it needs all of us.”
Support the Big Scrub
If you’ve been moved by this story, we invite you to contribute to the ongoing regeneration efforts: 👉 https://bigscrubrainforest.org/donate
Together, we can grow something extraordinary.