Stoke Design Co is a Ballarat based IT company that takes sustainability seriously. This comes from a genuine commitment to running a small carbon footprint business. Stoke Design Co aims to reduce excess consumption, recycle where they can and looks at the broader issues of responsible partnerships and supporting community projects.

It’s simple really, for this innovative, sustainable and creative team, the 3 pillars of business are:

• people,
• planet and
• profit.

2023 | 50 trees | Scotmans Lead, VIC

This year on National Tree Day (Sunday July 30th), along with 65 local volunteers we planted out Stoke Design’s 50 native trees at Scotchmans Lead, VIC. The day was coordinated by the Napoleans Enfield Landcare Group.

It is our foremost aim to bring back biodiversity to the surrounds of the Yarrowee Creek, south of the city of Ballarat.

Jenny Ryle | Co-ordinator | Napoleans-Enfield Landcare Network

The trees were a mixture of species indigenous to the district. They were supplied by Matt Pywell and the Ballarat Wildplants Nursery. Tree species included a variety of wattles and gum, including Manna Gums and River Gums.

The aim of the planting is to bring back the biodiversity that once occupied this area. With past plantings, native grass is now flourishing and the presence of previously planted native vegetation is changing the depleted soil into a thriving ecosystem. These new trees and shrubs will grow tall helping to reduce carbon emissions into the future. The planting group will be linking this area to the nearby forests and along the river to give the environment a good chance to grow at its best, despite a changing climate.

2022 | 65 trees | Leigh Creek, VIC

This year, as an end of year thank you to customers, Leigh Ericksen and team posted out these beautiful cards (on recycled paper of course) and arranged through us the planting of 65 trees (plus tree guards). One tree per customer.

The trees were planted by Nick McKinley from Leigh Creek Landcare. The LCG is a network of eight Landcare groups in the Corangamite region of South West Victoria. For over 20 years this group have been bringing together members of the community to maintain, protect and repair the fragile environment in our landscape.

It’s perhaps not surprising that a company specialising in efficient systems should understand that it is, in itself, part of a system. A social, economic, and human system, one that ultimately needs to recognise its environmental stewardship role in order to prosper. We are glad that Stoke Design takes its responsibilities seriously and applies them to its own business practices, and more than happy to help it reduce its impact by planting trees.

If you would like to know more about sponsoring community tree planting projects and how we can assist you in becoming a more sustainable business, please contact Colleen at <[email protected]>.

Writer: Colleen B. Filippa | Founding Director | Fifteen Trees

With a background in Environmental Science, Colleen is the Founding Director of Fifteen Trees. In 2009, after 20 years in primary, secondary and tertiary education institutions, Colleen left the classroom to start the company. Fifteen Trees is a social enterprise assisting individuals and companies to reduce their carbon footprint by supporting community groups such as Landcare, schools and environmental networks.