By Jed Lanyon
Healesville Environment Watch Inc. (HEWI) held their annual planting day at Queens Park, Healesville on Friday 21 June despite poor weather conditions threatening the event.
Members of HEWI have been taking part in environmental work on Healesville waterways for 30 years now and were joined by Healesville Primary School grade three students and workers from Cummins Filtration to plant 2000 seedlings in the park.
Healesville Primary School has incorporated the planting day into their curriculum and has done so now for 20 years.
HEWI volunteer secretary Maureen Bond said, “We hope that they will appreciate the value of planting.”
“The kids know that we’re planting to protect the animals like the platypus, which is so very special and breeds in the Grace Burn.
“Today we had Uncle Dave Wandin, a Wurundjeri elder out to deliver a welcome to country and he spoke about how Aboriginal people had been caring for country and how it is important for them.”
Ms Bond said that Uncle Dave thanked the students for continuing that care.
“I think they really absorbed that message today, coming from someone who has obviously had a great background and reverence… I hope that they see that animals and plants depend on each other.”
Ms Bond said that Cummins Filtration staff had taken part in the event for nine years now as one of their environmental projects.
HEWI’s planting day is coordinated in partnership with Yarra Ranges Council.
