He’s a former mathematician, now better known for hugging trees than crunching numbers. Barry volunteers at Greening Australia’s Canberra nursery and has a backyard full of birds, blue-tongue lizards and stories. His love of native plants runs deep, and so does his belief that anyone can help restore the landscape – even if it’s just pulling weeds on a bushwalk.

After decades on the land, the Marsh family has seen firsthand how planting trees is an integral part of grazing in a grassy woodland.

What started as a response to drought, salinity, and a need to manage grazing to encourage more diversity, has become a whole-of-property approach to regeneration. 3% tree cover has grown to be 20% tree cover at Allendale, and his mixed farm near Boorowa is now home to healthier soils, more diverse native pastures and increased wildlife. David’s story shows how production and restoration don’t have to compete – they must grow side by side.

Dr Blair Parsons has spent his life reconnecting people and nature through science – and we count ourselves very lucky to have him at Greening Australia.

From surveying bushland habitat for birds, mammals and other critters to leading large-scale restoration projects across Western Australia, his work reminds us that restoring ecosystems is about more than trees – it’s about healing landscapes, supporting communities, and creating a future where both can thrive.