As part of its global commitment to support biodiversity, iconic beauty brand L’OCCITANE Australia has joined forces with the charity partner for Australia’s National Parks, the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife (FNPW), to help regenerate Australia post bushfires by restoring natural habitats, native vegetation and support wildlife rehabilitation efforts across Australia.
Who can forget the bushfires last Summer that swept across Australia leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. As well as claiming lives and houses, the bushfires also decimated hectares of bushland, native flora and fauna. In response to the devastation, and motivated by their dedication to protecting biodiversity, French beauty brand L’OCCITANE set up the L’OCCITANE Ecosystem Restoration Fund in early 2020 to support ecosystems that are severely affected by natural disasters, such as the devastating fires in Australia, and donated $228,000 to FNPW as part of an initial two-year commitment. These funds will be dedicated to planting seedlings in bushfire recovery nurseries in affected areas around Australia, with the goal to plant one million trees over the next five years. Next year the planting will begin and by 2025 it is their mission to have one million trees planted in Australia.
Pierre-Emmanuel Joffre, Managing Director L’OCCITANE Australia, said, “Having first arrived in Australia just six months before the bushfires, I was saddened by the devastation they caused to the landscapes, wildlife and communities around the country. As a brand originated from nature and the use of botanical ingredients, it has long been a commitment of ours to respect and support biodiversity and so we are thrilled to be able to support the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife in its mission of planting one million trees around Australia.”
As part of the project, FNPW, along with global reforestation nonprofit, One Tree Planted, announced the project to plant one million trees across bushfire-affected areas on World Earth Day in April. The non-government organisation, which has been operating for over 50 years, funds conservation projects across Australia to safeguard wilderness and wildlife for future generations. Ian Darbyshire, Chief Executive Officer Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife, said: “It’s thanks to partners such as L’OCCITANE Australia that we can respond quickly to the healing of our land post bushfires. These Bushfire Recovery Nurseries will be an important step in our regeneration and we appreciate the support of the wider community to help restore and protect the future of Australia.”
L’OCCITANE’s philosophy has always remained the same. Nature matters. People matter. Utilising high-quality, traceable and natural ingredients for your face and body that are as good for the planet as they are for your skin. As part of this philosophy, sensible sustainable thinking is at the heart of L’OCCITANE and, this year they were recognised as a Top 100 Global Sustainable Brand for all their amazing efforts locally and globally. Their ongoing commitment to biodiversity starts with their ingredient harvesting to conservation efforts. They launched the first organic Immortelle plantation in Corsica and are helping to bring almond trees back to Provence; both are prized ingredients in their revered skincare and bodycare collections. Their goal and commitment is to continue to work towards replenishing and nurturing the ecosystem which helps preserve natural resources, prevents soil erosion and creates animal habitats. By 2025, L’OCCITANE’s aim is to have contributed to protecting 1,000 threatened species and varieties of plants globally. To date, they are well on their way to achieving this goal with 950 threatened plant varieties already protected.
You can read more about L’OCCITANE’s commitment to Biodiversity and their FNPW partnership project, here.
