By Callum Ludwig
In collaboration with Yarra Ranges Landcare, Yarra Valley ECOSS is hosting a Tree Planting Day in line with National Tree Day on Sunday 7 August.
National Tree Day falls on the first Sunday in August each year, created by Planet Ark in 1996 and expanding into Australia’s largest community tree planting and nature care event.
Executive Officer at Yarra Valley ECOSS Chelsea McNab said ECOSS for a long time has wanted to create a nature walk through their property.
“We’ve wanted to thicken along our boundary fence, and having just built a food forest, we would like to plant some of the very first fruiting trees in there as well,” she said.
“We have revegetated a lot of this property over time and we’re committed to continuing to do that.”
Since 1996, National tree Planting Day has planted about 26 million trees as a result of over 10 million hours of time donated by over 5 million volunteers.
Ms McNab said locally a lot of trees have been lost.
“It’s extremely important not only have we lost habitat due to continued logging, but we’ve lost it due to fires and storms, like the storms last year which decimated so many hollow-bearing trees and so many properties,” she said.
“With the urban sprawl, clearing of vegetation is continually happening and we desperately need to replant to create habitat for our native fauna and to draw carbon down from the atmosphere, to store in the soil and keep on replacing what’s lost.”
Schools Tree Day is also held on the last Friday of July every year and falls on Friday 29 July 2022.
Ms McNab said attendees feel good after participating in tree planting.
“It is because they know they are doing something for the environment, and learn from other people maybe about native species that they didn’t know about or make connections with community groups, and maybe end up joining one,” she said.
“It’s good to do something for the environment and get your hands in the earth.”
The event requires attendees to bring their own gloves and a cup for a drink, with morning tea provided. RSVPs are required for catering by Friday 5 August to admin@yrl.org.au.
