Giving away unsolicited products is a risky proposition, with each person having their own interpretation of what is useful or superfluous. With more than 78 million tonnes of waste generated across Australia each year, Downer is determined to do better, by its stakeholders, by the communities it works in, and by our environment.

Downer is investing in planting one tree for every delegate at industry conferences the company participates in, in lieu of gifting promotional products.

This initiative by Downer is just one in a wide range of measures by the company in recent years to reduce its carbon footprint and improve environmental outcomes in the communities in which it works.

Fifteen Trees is delighted to continue this important partnership with Downer, supporting the organisation in meeting its carbon emission reduction goals, while providing a myriad of environmental benefits in target regions across Australia.

OPS SWAP Forum 2024- Australian Airport Association

28th – 30th May 2024 / 250 trees

This event is about hearing from airports and industry experts from across Australia about practical solutions to operational challenges and learning about the latest developments and best practice initiatives in airport operations. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with colleagues, regulators and industry leaders while developing knowledge and skills in career development.

Two hundred and fifty (250) native tree species including River-red gums, Manna gum, Sweet Bursarias and Wattles have been planted on the behalf of Downer Group and their May 2024 Forum. All trees were sourced from local indigenous nursery at Western Plains Flora and planted by volunteers from the Koala Clancy Foundation  in the Brisbane Ranges (VIC).

The Wadawurrung are a recognised tribe (community) of this district, which consisted of some 25 clans that forms part of the Kulin Nation of Aboriginal people.

Volunteers from Koala Clancy at the Inverleigh site.

At Inverleigh, VIC a small population of wild koalas are just hanging on! Many years ago all the woodland around them was cut down, isolating these koalas. Now modern landholders are keen to revegetate the district. This project will restore an endangered ecosystem in a region that has lost 87% of its natural forest. This planting will effectively double the habitat for these koalas, giving them a lifeline.

Many thanks to The Downer Group for their generous contribution.

Janine Duffy | President | Koala Clancy Foundation

AAA National Conference + Industry Expo VIC

14th – 16th November 2023 / 300 trees

The trees (300) were planted at the Brisbane Ranges (west of Melbourne), adjacent to the You Yangs National Park. They were a mixture of species indigenous to the local area, and included trees such as Hedge Wattle, Drooping Sheoak, Silver Banksia, River Red Gum, Yellow gum, Messmate, Manna Gum and Prickly Tea-Trees.

This revegetation planting will improve habitat for local native species and continue the revegetation efforts at The Triangle Reserve.

The Brisbane Ranges Landcare Group thoroughly appreciates the support of Fifteen Trees and their sponsors like Downer Group.  Our members are very thankful for the trees. In addition, our annual plantings at the Triangle Reserve are helping to establish a beautiful and beneficial community reserve that will be used and treasured for generations.

Robert Hall | President | Brisbane Ranges Landcare Group

ecologicQ Greener Infrastructure Conference VIC

18th – 20th Sept 2023 / 300 trees

The Mornington Peninsula is located on the traditional lands of the Boon Wurrung / Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation. The Somers Koala Habitat Project is a fabulous project to support. With over 70% of landholders participating in this revegetation project it is also backed by Mornington Peninsula Shire, Parks Victoria and the Department of Defence. And now with sponsors such as Fifteen Trees and Downer Group, this revegetation project has grown by leaps and bounds.

The project is coordinated by the Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation (MPKC), a group dedicated to creating a koala wildlife corridor (connecting existing sections of koala habitat and food trees) on the Mornington Peninsula. This involves planting in the existing koala corridors, thereby encouraging koalas out of urban areas and away from the many threats they face.

To achieve our goals, we need funding to purchase trees needed for the wildlife corridors. All money received goes directly towards bringing our project and goals to life. Thank you to supporters of Fifteen Trees for your assistance by purchasing trees on our behalf.

Dirk Jensan | Coordinator | MPKC

Here’s a few reasons why this project is so important:

• Recent research from Deakin University suggests that the koala population has been negatively impacted by the highly fragmented nature of habitat on the Mornington Peninsula.
• By providing a wildlife corridor it will allow animals including koalas to move safely, to reach vital food resources and help maintain viable populations.
• Without this, koala populations will inevitably continue to decline, become isolated and may face local extinction.

Some of the trees planted included; Drooping Sheoak, Coastal Banksia, Messmate, Swamp Gum, Coastal Manna Gum, Narrow-leafed Peppermint, Black Wattle, Blackwood, Scented and Swamp Paperbark and Silky Hakea. By planting a wide variety of locally native plant species at our revegetation projects, we aim to restore habitats that would have existed prior to land clearing. This means that the native flora is able to regenerate, and the local wildlife can return to the trees to use them as food sources and habitat.

Australian Airports Association National Conference, SA

15th – 17th Nov 2022 / 200 trees

As the Gold Sponsor of this conference, in lieu of gifting promotional products, Downer has planted 200 trees on the behalf of registered delegates. The trees  were planted towards the SA border with VIC, in the Buloke District of the Grampians.

The two hundred trees were a mix of purposefully selected plants to complement the birdlife, insects, and other creatures who call The Grampians their home. The trees were also selected to survive the cold winters and dry summers the mountainous terrain experiences. They will grow to varying heights (tall and understory) to ensure a variety of habitats for the local wildlife.

The trees will add to the amazingly diverse landscape consisting of gorge environs, steep rocky walls famous for rock-climbing, deep valleys, and undulating hills. They will provide homes and fodder for many species including the extensive bird life found there. Given it is a famous area for bushwalking, you’ll often find many avid bird watchers (twitchers) hiding out on the trails, binoculars in hand and taking in the immense bird song. Grampians birdlife is vast and the many winged wonders you may come across include parrots (Galah, Crimson Rosella, Musk Lorikeet, Rainbow Lorikeet and Blue-winged Parrot), and cockatoos (Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Gang-gang Cockatoo, Long-Billed Corella, Little Corella, Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoo, even the endangered Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo).

All these birds need different trees to survive, and we are thankful for the expertise of the Buloke and Northern Grampians Landcare Network in their support in helping to plant these trees. Here’s an interview, we recently conducted with Andrew Borg, coordinator of this network.

ecologiCQ Greener Infrastructure Conference VIC

6th – 7th Sept 2022 / 120 trees

As a participant in the 2022 ecologCQ Greener Infrastructure Conference, Downer has invested in planting 120 locally indigenous plant species to support biodiversity in Westgate Park, in lieu of purchasing promotional products.

Westgate Park forms a sanctuary for a variety of bird species from around the world. Watch the lake for wading birds such as stilts, ibis and spoonbills feeding on the shores, and swimmers and divers including ducks, gulls, coots, pelicans, swans and moorhens.

Bili Nursery and Landcare (who manage Westgate Park) are most appreciative of the trees Downer Group has purchased on their behalf. The trees have formed part of a revegetation project to restore native habitat for local native wildlife.

LGA Roads and Works Conference, SA

24th – 25th August 2022 / 200 trees

As a participant in the 2021 Local Government Association’s Roads and Works Conference, Downer has invested in the revegetation of the Goolwa Dunes Reserve with the Goolwa to Wellington Landcare Group with a purchase of 200 trees.

Goolwa Coastcare would like to thank everyone for the assistance with funding to help plant 200 coastal seedlings. This will help improve the habitat value of this site and builds on more than 10 years of work by our group.

Ben Simon | Coordinator | Goolwa to Wellington LAP

Improving biodiversity of the local environment, the 200 Drooping She-Oak, Salt Paperbark, Coastal Wattle, and Coast Beaded Heath plants and shrubs will provide food, protection, and homes for native species of birds including the Brown Quail (top L), Barn Owl (top R), Hooded Plover (bottom L) and Orange-Bellied Parrot (bottom R).

Australian Airports Association Airport Operations OPS SWAP Forum NSW,

1^st – 3^rd June 2022 / 200 trees

As Platinum Sponsor of the 2022 Australian Airports Association Airport Operations OPS SWAP Forum, Downer has invested in planting one tree for every delegate registered in lieu of gifting promotional products. That’s a total of 200 trees, with the potential to sequester more than 55,000 kilograms of atmospheric carbon over their lifetime.

Downer’s Manna Gums, Box Ironbarks, Stringybarks, Candlebarks, Wattles and Bottlebrushes were planted at Kinglake in Victoria, revegetating an animal corridor to encourage endemic species such as the Powerful Owl, Swift Parrot, Brush-tailed Phascogale and Regent Honeyeater to return to the area.

Thanks to Downer and Fifteen Trees we have gained more wildlife and nature in our backyard. More importantly wildlife safely travels from the Murrindindi River without crossing open pasture.

Native bees flourish. Birds are singing.

Brett Williams | Landcare Member | Upper Goulburn Landcare Network

In 2019, Downer committed to the decarbonisation of our absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 45-50 per cent by 2035 from a 2018 base year, and to being net zero by the second half of the century. In 2021, they tightened this commitment to being net zero by 2050.

In 2020, Downer enhanced its reputation as a sustainability leader by establishing a $1.4 billion Sustainability Linked Loan – the largest in Australia. The loan is underpinned by KPI metrics relating to Downer’s greenhouse gas emissions reductions and social sustainability. Further cementing their place as Australia’s sustainability leader in the urban services sector,

Downer is the first Australian infrastructure company to register a binding, science-based, net-zero emissions target with the United Nations. More information about Downer’s approach to sustainability is available at downergroup.com/sustainability.

Writer; Colleen Filippa. Colleen is the Founding Director of Fifteen Trees. Fifteen Trees is a social enterprise based in the Central Highlands of Victoria.