Brinkley, SA

Adrenalin is no excuse for a supersized carbon footprint. In 2007, Greg Smith, owner of SA Skydiving, envisioned supporting the environment and creating a sea of trees at the edge of the drop zone.

Greenfleet and Scouts Australia helped SA Skydiving honour this commitment by planting 18.5 ha with native trees across Greg’s 120 ha property.

When Greg purchased the land, it was a “raw block of dirt with no power, no nothing”, he says. Fast-forward to today and 16,000 trees have transformed the salt pans of this property into a biodiverse forest. What a view to witness from the sky!

The trees grew at a higher than average rate. Species such as the Pink Gum (Eucalyptus fasciculosa) and Drooping Sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata) gerw upwards of six metres in the first few years after planting.  11 years later, the forest is alive and home to small birds, such as Willy Wagtails and Welcome Swallows.

“The impact on my business hasn’t been in dollars and cents, but the people who jump here certainly notice the difference. The land looks better, it attracts more birdlife and animals, and while we’re still burning fuel, we feel good knowing we are part of the solution to climate change,” Greg says.

This forest is sequestering tonnes of carbon emissions. In fact, by 2037, it is estimated that the forest at SA Skydiving will have absorbed 5,500 tonnes of CO2-e - equivalent to removing over 1,200 standard vehicles from the road, for one year.

Thanks to the efforts of Scouts Australia and the environmental initiative by Greg, Greenfleet transformed this land into a biodiverse paradise. The trees are absorbing carbon, providing habitat for wildlife and enhancing the view for those daring enough to jump out of a plane.