Rob McMaster and the team from G.J. Gardner Homes Ballarat are generous supporters of local community groups and their tree planting projects. This year, they purchased 630 native plants trees (plus tree guards) for the Napoleon’s Enfield Landcare Group.

G.J. Gardner’s core business is building homes. Safe, secure places for families to grow and thrive for many years to come. We love that alongside this G.J. Gardner is planting forests, which is very much the same thing – safe, secure places for fauna and flora to grow and thrive for many years to come. Thank you to Robert and the team for helping us support community groups such as Napoleons Enfield Landcare who protect and enhance our rural reserves.

This planting took place at Scotchmans Lead Reserve in an area between Union Jack Creek and Yarmlok Plain, Napoleons, VIC. On the traditional land of the Wadawurrung People. It is here that the Napoleons and Enfield Landcare Group Inc (NELG) are rehabilitating the riparian zone (the areas of land that border rivers, streams, creeks, gullies, and wetlands) along the Yarrowee and Union Jack Creek.

We are very pleased to have sponsors contributing this work that we have undertaken for many years. The results are now speaking for themselves, and more people than ever are interested and aware of the importance of protecting and restoring our environment. Financial support is so useful to get things done well and it also represents moral support – which is very motivating

Jenny Ryle | President | Napoleans Enfield Landcare Group Inc.

The group have been rehabilitating this area since 1996, planting trees, shrubs and grasses across the site, re-establishing frog ponds and instigating weed and pest control. The new bushland is now home to frogs, rakali (native water rat) echidnas, koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and possums, and associated invertebrate life such as dragonflies, bees and insects. The predominate birds are birds of prey which do well at this site but the increasing diversity of trees and shrubs is increasing the bird species number from about 6 in 2010 to over 40 now.

While there is no dominant native flora species (as the area had been stripped through past gold mining and neglect), there is a natural woodland comprising of manna gums and swamp gums with many shrub and lower layers including native grasses. It is this area that the team from NELG are working towards restoring.

The newly planted trees (eucalyptus, acacias, banksias, hakeas and lomandra) will create shade along the river and provide shelter for fish and even platypus. The tall trees will provide protection from strong winds and eventually will protect the riparian area from the ravages of floods. At present there is a trackway for walkers to see and enjoy the river.

Thank you G.J. Gardner Ballarat for the additional funding for tree guards. These guards help protect the new seedlings and gives them protection from grazers, in particular rabbits and kangaroos. Inside the plastic sleeves, the microclimate created protects the seedlings from harsh UV, drifting sand, frost, and wind. Once the seedlings survive their first summer and get the opportunity to develop a strong taproot, their chances of survival skyrockets.

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

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.