CERES is an award-winning not-for-profit sustainability centre located on Wurundjeri land, by the banks of the Merri Creek in Brunswick. It’s a rare Melbourne schoolchild who hasn’t enjoyed an excursion or outing to CERES, or been involved in one of its wide range of education programs.
CERES has a broad, multi-faceted reach, with an overall mission to maintain a practical conversation about how we can live well together in a sustainable way. As one small part of this, it encourages schools to offset their CERES excursion travel emissions by contributing to the purchase of two trees per excursion – and many do. From this small gesture of mindfulness on the part of students and their teachers, a living, breathing change can be created hundreds of kilometres away. And this is the message that sustainable ethical businesses and their not-for-profit partners, like CERES, want to get across – no one is tackling climate change on their own.
Westgate Biodiversity is a not-for-profit organisation located at the base of one of Melbourne’s most iconic landmarks and busiest gateways to the city – the Westgate Bridge. Nestled beneath this urban landmark, the group is working to create a thriving pocket of bushland that provides both sanctuary for wildlife and a green escape for people.
This community-based organisation plays a vital role in the west of Melbourne. Not only do they grow and sell locally indigenous plants to support home gardeners, schools, and revegetation projects, but they are also restoring Westgate Park. Their vision is to transform what was once a degraded and industrial area into a natural, bush-like haven, filled with diverse plant species that will flourish for decades to come.
Recently, a wide variety of native trees and shrubs have been planted at the site, including: wattles (Heath, Golden, Lightwood and Coastal), sheoaks (Black, Swamp and Green), saltbushes (Grey and Marsh), correas (White, Smooth and Common) and eucalyptus (River Red Gum, Yello Gum, Ironbark, Swamp Gum and Manna Gum).
This impressive diversity of plantings will help create a rich and resilient ecosystem. As the species flower and fruit at different times of the year, they will provide a continuous supply of food and shelter for local wildlife – from birds and insects to small mammals. Over time, these plantings will not only enhance the biodiversity of Westgate Park but also ensure it becomes a vibrant, living landscape where both people and nature can thrive.
Writer: Colleen B. Filippa
With a background in Environmental Science (Melbourne Uni), Colleen is the Founding Director of Fifteen Trees. In 2009, after 20 years in 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 Westgate Biodiversity.
