The VAA, with assistance from the Honey Bee Industry Development Fund, has invested time and resources over the past several years into research to assist with the restoration of degraded forests. Some important work was completed by forestry experts, working together with the VAA. Due to a range of factors, including the Covid 19 pandemic and the devastating 2019/20 bushfires, momentum on the project slowed. On the recommendation of the Apiculture Industry Advisory Committee (AIAC), the remaining funding was withdrawn for the original project (HBCIDF18.01). 

There is however, a new round of grant applications opening in March 2025 through AgVic's Livestock Biosecurity Fund. The VAA Board has begun preliminary discussions with the forestry and apiculture experts who worked on the original project to determine the resources required to review, refine and update the scope of an Ironbark forest restoration project and to submit an application to the Livestock Biosecurity Fund for a grant to fund new research.