As 2020 rolled in, welcoming the start of a new year and ushering in a new decade, many of us took stock of what we have and what future paths lay ahead for us. For the people and wildlife of Australia the year started while enduring a crisis, one that has impacted the entire Australian population and many of us globally.
It is hard to miss the devastation caused over the past months, over 6.3 million Ha has been laid to waste*, to put that into perspective that is 3 times the size of Wales at ~2.1 million Ha. Thousands of properties have been damaged or destroyed and staggering estimates for Australia’s unique wildlife has been lost, some sources citing over 1,000,000,000 animals.
As you may or may not know, Nufarm is an Australian company, one where many of its staff and customers have been directly affected by the bush fires. As a business focused on helping farmers get more from their land it is very distressing to see what some of them are now faced with –on top of the impact that the ongoing drought has had.
Nufarms pledge
Nufarm CEO Greg Hunt has pledged that Nufarm will be donating AUD$70,000 to a list of charities (see below) to help with the cause. Furthermore, Nufarm will match employee donations dollar for dollar to the list of charities, with AUD$5,000 being raised in the first 24 hours alone.
How can you help?
The following organisations are helping combat the effects of the bushfires, from volunteer firefighters and rural aid to wildlife rescue. By supporting them you are helping tackle the devastation, even a small donation can go a long way.
- Country Fire Authority Victoria
- NSW Rural Fire Service
- South Australian Country Fire Service
- Rural Fire Brigades Association Queensland
- Tasmania Fire Service
- Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund
- Wildlife Rescue (WIRES).
- Department of Fire & Emergency Services (WA)
- BlazeAid a volunteer-based organisation that works with families and individuals in rural Australia after natural disasters such as fires and floods.
Thank you.
*Source BBC