Amazon Plants 200K Trees to Save WA Cockatoos

Southwest Australia is getting a 10-kilometer corridor of life-saving trees, funded by a tech giant determined to pull a unique species back from the brink.

Amazon is investing $3.3 million to help the University of Western Australia save the Carnaby's black cockatoo, a bird found nowhere else in the world. The species has lost more than half its population in just 45 years as farms and cities replaced the woodlands it calls home.

The Corridors for Carnaby's project will plant 200,000 banksia trees near Mandurah, a coastal city south of Perth. These trees are a lifeline for the striking black cockatoos, producing nutritious seeds that flower exactly when the birds need energy to breed and raise their chicks.

Planting begins now and will wrap up by 2029. The new corridor will connect land and sea habitats, giving the cockatoos abundant food, water, and nesting sites.

The project goes beyond trees. Fifty artificial nests and 20 solar-powered, self-cleaning water stations will dot the corridor. Local farms are pitching in with dedicated watering spots for thirsty birds.

The Ripple Effect

This isn't just about saving one species. Amazon's funding supports a partnership between UWA biologists and the Winjan Aboriginal Corporation's Rangers Program, an 18-month initiative that blends traditional ecological wisdom with modern restoration science.

Indigenous participants gain commercial seed bank management skills and earn accredited micro-credentials. These certifications create pathways to university degrees and careers in agriculture, horticulture, and environmental restoration.

Amazon Web Services is building AI technology to identify and track Carnaby's flocks. A new app in development will let everyday West Australians help count cockatoo populations right from their backyards, turning birdwatchers into citizen scientists.

When corporate investment meets Indigenous knowledge and community participation, a disappearing species gets a fighting chance and a region builds lasting conservation expertise.