By increasing biodiversity and pollinator numbers through the B&B Highway program, PlantingSeeds aligns with the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Direct Alignments
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
Supporting physical and mental health through connections with nature
- Spending time outdoors and connecting with nature supports physical and mental health by encouraging physical activity, improving mood, and reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. Connections with nature can help alleviate eco-anxiety by fostering a sense of agency through participation in climate solutions (Léger-Goodes et al., 2022).
Improving wellbeing through community action
- Planting native vegetation and creating habitats for wildlife, such as birds, possums, and bees can empower communities to take meaningful action against global warming. This not only enhances community resilience and restores hope, but also contributes to individual wellbeing (Chawla & Gould, 2020).
Greening initiatives to reduce urban heat island effects
- Reducing urban heat island effects through greening initiatives can improve health and wellbeing by helping to mitigate heat-related illnesses, particularly in vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, and low socio-economic status (Wood et al., 2017).
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Digital tools to support citizen science and data collection
- The B&B Highway integrates digital tools such as iNaturalist, to support citizen science and environmental education. Participants build skills in observation, species identification, and data collection, contributing valuable information to the iNaturalist database. This is accessible to scientists, including those at the CSIRO, for biodiversity monitoring and research.
Improving urban resilience through planting native vegetation
- Planting native vegetation contributes to green infrastructure, improving urban resilience by reducing heat, managing stormwater, and enhancing ecosystems. These nature-based solutions support sustainable, forward-thinking urban planning.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Ecological initiatives for underutilised urban areas
- The establishment of over 210 B&B sites across urban areas promotes green infrastructure while enhancing biodiversity. These ecological initiatives transform underutilised spaces into biodiverse habitats by introducing native vegetation and providing shelter and food sources for pollinators (PlantingSeeds, 2025).
Green spaces as platforms for education and community participation
- Green spaces serve as platforms for community participation and education. Through planting activities, habitat creation, and involvement in citizen science projects, more sustainable and connected communities can be fostered (Chawla & Gould, 2020).
Sustainable solutions to urban greening through native plantings
- Native plants are cost-effective and low-maintenance. They are adapted to local soils and require minimal water and generally no fertilisers or pesticides, making them a financially and environmentally sustainable solution for urban greening (The Nature Conservancy, 2025).
SDG 13: Climate Action
Mitigating urban heat through urban greening
- Revegetating urban areas plays a vital role in addressing climate action. Introducing more greenery helps to mitigate urban heat island effects by lowering temperatures and reducing energy consumption for cooling (Wood et al., 2017).
Biodiversity of plant and animal builds resilient ecosystems
- Using native plants in revegetation projects supports biodiversity of plant and animal species, builds more resilient ecosystems that can better adapt to the impacts of climate change (Australian Conservation Foundation, 2023).
Planting natives contributes to reduction in greenhouse gasses
- Native plants reduce water usage, soil erosion, and the need for pesticides. These factors contribute to improvements in air, water, and soil quality, and in turn reduce greenhouse gasses (Trust for Nature, 2024).
SDG 15: Life on Land
Regeneration of native habitat to support biodiversity and ecosystem restoration
- Habitat loss remains one of the most significant causes of pollinator decline (Pyke et. al., 2023). The B&B program regenerates native habitats for pollinators, thereby supporting biodiversity and ecosystem restoration .
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Collaboration across sectors to advance biodiversity and sustainability
- Collaborating across sectors, including institutions, government, community organisations, to advance sustainability and biodiversity outcomes.
Working with the Department of Education to support education initiatives
- Working with state government bodies, such as the NSW Department of Education, to support environmental education in schools.
Contributing to the work of various organisations through education and data collection
- Engaging with and contributing to the work of organisations such as IndigiGrow, CSIRO, and the Atlas of Living Australia through community planting projects, educational programs, and citizen science data collection.
Indirect Alignments
SDG 1: No Poverty
- Empowers communities through sustainable, low-cost environmental practices, where ongoing care of gardens and habitats can be led by teachers, students, and volunteers.
- Gaining knowledge in planting and land care builds skills, fosters sustainability awareness, and may affect long-term behaviour change and opportunities for employment pathways.
- Encourages local food growing, such as herbs, vegetables, or bush foods, to build self-sufficiency.
SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- Supports pollinator populations essential for the production of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and other food sources.
- Contributes to food security by enhancing local ecosystems that underpin agriculture.
- Promotes urban food growing (e.g., community gardens) that reduce food miles and increase access to fresh, affordable produce.
- Helps develop more resilient and sustainable local food systems, especially important in urban and low-income areas.
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- Pollinators support healthy plant reproduction, sustaining green spaces that absorb rainwater, reduce runoff and flooding, and ease pressure on stormwater systems.
- Native vegetation requires fewer pesticides and fertilisers, reducing chemical runoff into waterways and protecting aquatic ecosystems.
- Plants help cool the environment, reducing water evaporation and improving soil water retention. This helps regulate the flow and availability of water in urban areas.
- Vegetation, healthy soil, and reduced chemical use work together to improve water quality and build more resilient urban ecosystems.
SDG 14: Life Below Water
- Native vegetation, supported by healthy pollinator populations, helps reduce pollution entering waterways by limiting chemical use and absorbing runoff before it reaches aquatic ecosystems.
- Pollinators contribute to diverse and stable plant communities, which in turn stabilise soil, reduce erosion, and prevent sediment and chemicals from washing into rivers, creeks, and oceans. This ultimately protects aquatic habitats and marine biodiversity.
Article by Wendy Grenfell
References
Australian Conservation Foundation (2023). Big or small – climate change affects us all.
https://www.acf.org.au/news/big-or-small-climate-change-affects-us-all
Chawla, L., & Gould, R. (2020). Childhood nature connection and constructive hope: A review of research on connecting with nature and coping with environmental loss. People and Nature (Hoboken, N.J.), 2(3), 619–642. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10128
Goodman, M. (2025). The benefits of Australian native plants. https://www.csu.edu.au/social-impact/environment/the-benefits-of-australian-native-plants
IndigiGrow (2024). https://indigigrow.com.au/
Léger-Goodes, T., Malboeuf-Hurtubise, C., Mastine, T., Généreux, M., Paradis, P.-O., & Camden, C. (2022). Eco-anxiety in children: A scoping review of the mental health impacts of the awareness of climate change. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 872544-. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.872544
Planting Seeds Projects (2025). B&B Highway. A positive practical and scalable educational initiative. https://www.ps.org.au/bb-highway
Pyke, G. H., Prendergast, K. S., & Ren, Z. (2023). Pollination crisis Down‐Under: Has Australasia dodged the bullet? Ecology and Evolution, 13(11), e10639-n/a. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10639
The Nature Conservancy (2023). 10 Fun Facts About Native Australian Plants. https://www.natureaustralia.org.au/what-we-do/our-priorities/land-and-freshwater/land-freshwater-stories/fun-facts-native-australian-plants/
Trust for Nature (2024). Climate change action.
United Nations Development Goals (2024). Sustainable Development Goals. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/health/
United Nations (n.d.). Organizational session – 2026 UN water conference. https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/water2026/organizational-session
Wood, L., Hooper, P., Foster, S., & Bull, F. (2017). Public green spaces and positive mental health – Investigating the relationship between access, quantity and types of parks and mental wellbeing. Health & Place, 48, 63–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.09