Country Road has committed $600,000 over three years to Landcare Australia, with the funds invested towards biodiversity restoration projects across Australian farmlands.
The projects will be supported by a corporate contribution, as well as funds raised through the sale of Country Road’s Verified Australian Cotton Heritage Sweats.
The initial project will be implemented for third generation cotton farmers, the Kahl family in the Namoi Valley, NSW – a region significantly affected by biodiversity loss and in need of restoration.
It is designed to restore 30 acres of land along the Namoi River, in north-western New South Wales.
It will be implemented by Landcare Australia alongside the Kahls, a cotton farming family who have lived and worked on the property for three generations.
The project will involve planting native trees, shrubs and grasses along the Namoi River, building fences and installing watering points for cattle, and protecting natural habitats for threatened species
Country Road Group head of sustainability Eloise Bishop said the program is part of the group's evolving commitment to the environment.
"With biodiversity being integral to our survival on earth, every species plays an important role in helping nature thrive.
"As one of Australia’s most iconic brands, we can harness our role in the industry to assist local cotton farmers in protecting soil health, providing natural habitats for threatened species and improving water quality across river systems."
Farmer James Kahl praised the partnership.
"An appreciation for the land has always been part of our family.
"We farmed in California for nearly five generations before we emigrated here in 1961. But further to that, you won't farm very long unless you realise that unless you look after the land it won't produce and look after you.
"So it's what you have to do, you need to do, to be productive as a farmer."