Glenorchy City Council joined Australia’s largest tree planting and nature care event by participating in National Tree Day yesterday, 30 July.
Council’s elected members and staff joined volunteers from Claremont Coast Care, Conservation Volunteers Australia and the Australian International Youth Association to create a buffer zone of vegetation along the foreshore at Windermere Bay from 10am-1pm.
Volunteers aimed to plant 450 native shrubs and grasses at the site on the day.
“Glenorchy City Council is proud to be involved in National Tree Day which brings together many individuals and organisations to plant a tree for the benefit of our environment and the future of the community,” Mayor Bec Thomas said.
“Since the event started in 1996, over 26 million trees have been planted by 5 million volunteers and we we pleased to be able to add a few more trees to that tally.”
Mayor Thomas said that one of Council’s strategic objectives was to protect and manage the City’s natural environment and special places now and into the future.
“Glenorchy is home to stunning bushland and foreshore reserves with over 500 native plant species, and it’s important for us to make sure these can be enjoyed by future generations,” she said.
“Council has several actions in place to help us achieve this, including participation in events such as National Tree Day and our Natural Areas Engagement Program which is dedicated to creating opportunities for community involvement in preserving and enriching our local natural areas within Council-managed reserves”.
“We are also pleased to be establishing an Aboriginal Elders Memorial Garden at the Berriedale Peace Park where a garden bed of native and endemic grasses and shrubs will be planted next week with the Karadi Aboriginal Corporation Elders and the Glenorchy Reconciliation Group.”
Mayor Thomas congratulated all the volunteers participating in events across the country, as well as the many schools involved in Schools Tree Day on Friday 28 July.
“Every little bit helps, whether it’s through participating in a formal event or planting something in your back yard,” she said.
“I encourage everyone to see what you can do to make a difference to your local environment.”
For more information on Council’s bushland and foreshore reserves and natural area volunteering can be found on Council’s website at www.gcc.tas.gov.au