The Birds and the Trees

The Birds and the Trees

By Brad Gray  July 27th, 2016

Providing food and protection for small birds in Brisbane, building a natural walk way and bike path in Melbourne, removing weeds and revegetatiing Lake Claremont in WA and creating an urban oasis in the centre of Sydney are just some of the amazing projects taking place this week for National Tree Day

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A quick whip around the country shows that coordinators and participants are making a positive impact on the environment this National Tree Day. See below for just some of the inspiring activities that are taking place to help restore and look after Australia’s natural beauty.

  • The Mount Gravatt Environment Group (QLD)- ‘Bringing birds and butterflies back to suburbia’- is hosting a planting to expand the Small Bird Habitat. The group chooses native plants that provide nectar and seeds for local birds to eat as well as providing them with safe nesting locations. They are also planting trees to provide local koalas with food.
  • The Friends of Kororoit Creek in Melbourne are continuing to add to the amazing work they have been undertaking over the past few years. The aim of the project is to provide a beautiful walking and bike corridor along the previously inaccessible creek. The work of this group has been extended though the support of Toyota, which donated more than $2 million to the ongoing development of the site. This year 1,500 new trees and shrubs will be added to the depleted Urban Forest.
  • The Friends of Lake Claremont (WA) are continuing the amazing work that began way back in 1987. In those days one of the biggest tasks was the removal of the dominant weeds cornflag and lupins. From humble beginning, the project has grown into an award-winning event that engages the community in caring for the environment. During 2013, 83,000 plants were added to the site and on this coming Tree Day a further 4,000-5,000 will be going in the ground.
  • The City of Sydneyis one of the most densely populated council areas in the country, so it’s especially important for the health of the community to have access to open green spaces to relax, revive and exercise. The City of Sydney is continuing its 21-year participation in Tree Day by joining with Planet Ark to host a site at Jubilee Park in Glebe. This year around 2,000 new plants will be added to this beautiful harbour-side park.
  • On a more personal level a primary school in Alice Springs is inviting the families – parents, grandparents, cousins, siblings - of their students into the school to plant and care for specific trees. This gives the families a sense of ownership and creates a feeling of community around the school.

Get Involved

These four sites are just a tiny fraction of the thousands of positive community activities happening around the country this week. To participate you can Search for a Site near you and lend a hand to your local community.

If there isn’t a local site you can still get involved by doing a planting at home and registering your activity with us. That way your plants will be included in the national total.

If you’re looking for something to keep the kids busy, you can pop down to your local Bunnings Warehouse (except in South Australia) and sign up for a DIY Nature Craft class.

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By Brad Gray

Brad was Planet Ark's Head of Campaigns for 10 years. He trained and worked as a history and geography teacher before moving into the health education sector for 14 years. With a strong passion for human environments, Brad started with Planet Ark in 2007 as Recycling Programs Manager.

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