Building a sustainable future, one tree at a time is what we here at Fifteen Trees passionately believe in. And without the likes of our terrific supporters like G.J Gardner Homes, we could not achieve that. It’s a partnership as symbiotic as the earth and trees itself. One needs to other to thrive.

We thank the 15 G.J. Gardner Homes franchises who have partnered up with us to plant and impressive 8,670 native trees and shrubs in Victoria and Tasmania this year. The trees were purchased from 25 native plant nurseries. This is another way Fifteen Trees and our partnering companies support local business. By supporting these nurseries, also helps them and the community thrive. Not to mention keeping the trees local and therefore more appropriate and adaptable to the local climate, soil conditions and so on, to ensure they get the best chance to survive.

This affirmative action on behalf of the 15 G.J. Gardner Homes franchises, also collectively means that through our partnership we have supported 20 community planting projects run by determined community groups such as Landcare, throughout 2022.

These groups are filled with environmentally conscious and dedicated folks who love Planet Earth, want to enhance their local areas for theirs and future generations. They do this as they know the multiple benefits, we all receive from trees. Be it the clean air produced, plus clearer waterways thanks to the trees planted, and so on, this means a better chance for not only humans to connect with earth, but of course the many creatures, critters and wildlife whose depend upon them for food and shelter.

All that from a little forest of native saplings, grasses, and scrub, planted lovingly, who will grow up to do an immense amount of goodness.

We pay homage to those franchises now and tell you their story for all our dear readers to understand the importance and ripple effects important partnerships like ours with G.J. Gardner Homes have.

Ararat

A decade of the support from G.J. Gardner Ararat franchise owners Ashley and Sally Heard and their team has seen over 3,300 trees planted on Djab Wurrung country into the ground at Ararat, Horsham, and Hamilton Districts.

The trees have been planted in various spots over the years, and locals have been watching them steadily growing and regenerating and replenishing the land ever since.

The team at Project Platypus, who are an Upper Wimmera Landcare group, were a big player in planting these trees. Groups like this are the lifeline to ensuring they have been planted correctly and nurtured to give them the best chance possible.

Project Platypus is an example of the many groups who truly make the magic happen. With hands in the dirt and intention in their hearts, these groups are our eco warriors on the ground.

Central Gippsland

The Gippsland Rail Trail is the real winner of the story behind 375 trees being planted by the Maffra and Districts Landcare Network (MDLN), thanks to the generosity of Central Gippsland G.J. Gardner team, fronted by franchise owners Anthony and Fiona Ruff.

Over the past decade, in collaboration with us, they have managed to replenish the local terrain with 3,375 trees since first supporting Fifteen Trees since 2013.

The beauty of these projects are they bring the community together in small regions such as Central Gippsland. This particular tree planting project saw the involvement of not only the aforementioned Landcare volunteers, but by their side were school kids and other helpers from the local shires.

East Gippsland

Even though the lush dense forests at Mount Worth in Gippsland on Bunurong country have been in existence for centuries, it just proves nature always need a hand since colonisation and development shifted the face of our precious landscape, depleting our land of trees and native scrub.

The fact that the crew from G.J. Gardner East Gippsland, headed by Michael Ellett, supported Fifteen Trees in 2022 planting 825 trees, will go a long way in replenishing this fabulous state park, 15 km south of Warragul in the mighty Strzelecki Ranges. This region is notorious for its reviving rainforest walks, scenic Gippsland views of rolling plains dotted with black cows as far as the eye can see.

The partnership we have with G.J. Gardner East Gippsland, has brought on this achievement of their contribution of restoration, and we thank them for it.

Geelong

Ten thousand trees planted in ten years is an achievement and a real milestone to celebrate. Since 2023 this is what we have done together via our long term partnership with G.J. Gardner Geelong, thanks to the franchise team lead by Rohan Smith and Paul Delgallo and their generous support.

The purchase and planting of 1,350 native trees (plus tree guards) in 2022, by G.J. Gardner Geelong via the hard work of planting volunteers from Bellarine Catchment Network helped the 10,000 tree tally.

The icing on the cake was the inclusion of keen Grade 5 Our Lady Star of the Sea Primary School students for the project, who pitched in to help plant and learn about the wonderful world of nature and projection of local assets such as the Bellarine Peninsula, where the 1,350 native trees were planted on Wadawurrung country.

Hobart West

The planting of 600 native trees in 2022 which were hand selected for their suitability for the local region of Dodges Ferry in rural/residential Tasmania, not far from the South-eastern township of Sorrell, was greatly appreciated by locals and visitors to the area, and the project supported thanks to our partnership with G.J. Gardner Homes Hobart West.

Ludek and Lenka Valta and their team at G.J. Gardner Homes Hobart West have been by our side since 2015, and we know that through their unwavering support we’ve achieved a lot together.

During that time frame 3,510 native trees and shrubs have made their way into the ground in their local area thanks to the likes of the Okines Community Garden volunteers and Southern Beaches Landcare Volunteers at Dodges Ferry getting behind the collaboration in 2022 tree planting day to do the real grunt work.

With the expertise of these groups, as with all our tree planting projects, we know they will not only survive but thrive. Knowing this is the case, we are rest assured that this land, which is culturally significant Aboriginal land in lutruwita, for the Mumirimina People, who are the traditional custodians of this land, and renown for its beauty as well as ten known Aboriginal sites comprising shell middens and artefact scatters.

Melbourne East

Steve and Rebecca Moore from G.J. Gardner Melbourne East have generously supported a local community tree planting project via Fifteen Trees in 2022 to improve the urban build up of the Melbourne East green corridor of Blind Creek Billabong.

Steve and Rebecca understand the importance of preserving these little pockets of green (or should we say gold), in sprawling metro areas like Melbourne East, which in amongst the hubbub of capital city life, many creatures including birds, bats, frogs, lizards, beetles, etc rely on these green spaces as life giving sources of habitat, food and shelter.

Their support is so treasured, and the project was also brought to reality by the excellent helpers of 50 volunteers who gathered on the north bank of Blind Creek, which previously was open grassland, and those Friends groups, and other community champions helped rehabilitate the region.

Melbourne Inner North West

On the banks of the very popular Darebin Creek, a group gathered to plant 405 trees to help bulk up vegetation and help erosion, amongst other things, thanks to the team led by Mark and Karyn Pemmelaar of G.J. Gardner Melbourne Inner North West.

Their 2022 contribution of these trees have brought their tally of trees planted to 2,190.

This land is rather special for locals who love walking along the banks and taking time out from busy metro life. The  Wurrundjeri people of the Kulin Nation are the custodians of the land, and have shared the responsibility of their country by the Woi Wurrung group who look after the creeks and tributaries running into the Birrarung (Yarra River) and the Boon Wurrung group who traditionally look after the creeks and tributaries that run into Naarm (Port Phillip Bay).

This year the tree planting took place at the Colby Drive Wildlife Corridor, which shoulders nature reserves, parklands, roadsides, school grounds, riverbanks & rural properties. And now thanks to G.J. Gardner Melbourne Inner North West, will continue to bring beauty and nature to all residents and visitors of the area.

Mildura

Di and Brad Stanbrook lead a team at G.J. Gardner Mildura who are committed to sustainability and have been supporting Fifteen Trees since 2013.

In 2022 they assisted the planting of 705 native trees, suitable to the land at Millewa-Carwarp and Sunraysia, VIC, and as a result this brought their decade tally to 5,595 trees! As we said at the time – that’s a forest load of trees, of which they can be deeply proud of achieving.

Of course, like all fabulous community projects, this was made possible by the collaboration of many groups from the local district – namely The Millewa Carwarp Landcare Group along with local landcare families, schools and kindergartens in the Sunraysia District.

Mornington

We love tree planting groups that get out and plant on the actual day of National Tree Day, a calendar date we get truly excited about, for obvious reasons. So on NTD last year (last Friday in July) we joined the group of 40 volunteers ourselves to get amongst it as they planted out 360 trees at Mt Martha, under the Eagle Chairlift, a famous tourist spot.

This project was made possible by the generosity of Scott Doughty and Judy Corcoran, franchise owners of J.G. Gardner Mornington, who as locals know the importance of preserving this area that’s both mountainous and seaside.

The region is well known for its koala preservation organisation Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation, so the focus on National Tree Planting Day project was on the koalas themselves, and planting appropriate trees for them (including Manna Gums and Narrow-leafed Peppermint) via Somers Koala Habitat Project. Phenomenal work is carried out every day of the year by Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation to bolster the lifespans of koalas via their breeding programs. Planting the 360 trees for the koalas, who naturally gravitate towards, was the aim of this part of the National Tree Day planting project, and we hear the koalas are thriving as a result.

Shepparton

A bevy of interesting sites saw the planting of 600 native trees in Numurkah area led by the good folks at G.J. Gardener Shepparton. Facilitating this was Chris and Shari Longmore, franchise owners of G.J. Shepparton, and the plantings took place at including the township of Numurkah, Wunghnu and Broken Boosey State Park.

Trees now adorning the area important for local flora, fauna and humans include silver, lightwood, weeping boree, black and mallee, and smaller tree species such as bottlebrush, saltbush and hedges.

The streetscape of Numurkah, a township known for fruit production and dairy farming, will now enjoy shade and a place for birds and insects to call home, planted out by Urban Landcare Group (ULG).  Whilst on the outskirts of Numurkah, a group infilled and repurposed an old irrigation channel with a range of native trees and shrubs. Now that’s clever thinking!

Another unconventional site in this project was in Wunghnu, where people from Shepparton’s Community Correctional Services travelled to help plant out native plants along the Moira Miniature Railway site.

Whilst finally, between Shepparton and Tocumwal, a flurry of activity saw hundreds of plants lovingly rehomed to along the banks of Broken Boosey State Park, where the several threatened and endangered species such as the likes of the native animals Squirrel Glider,  Superb Parrot, and The Bush Stone Curlew will especially benefit from the project immensely.

Warragul

In 2022, the Southwest region of Gippsland has truly benefited from the kindness and environmental commitment from G.J. Gardener Warragul, when 660 trees were planted by Mt Worth Landcare group in the Baw Baw Shire at a site called Cloverlea.

In the years to come the landscape will reap all the benefits planting projects like this result in. Humans, soil, habitat, and fauna will collectively enjoy the many trees planted in what is tricky mountainous terrain on very steep slopes.

Supporting Fifteen Trees since 2017, the team of G.J. Gardner Warragul, led by Josh Tyrell, have contributed to the planting of 2,000 native trees, grasses, shrubs all indigenous to the South-West Gippsland region, land of the Gunai/Kurnai people.

Warrnambool

A clear Autumn day in 2022 after some lovely rainfall presented the perfect planting conditions for the volunteers who assisted with 450 native trees planted in Purnim. This took place not far from the offices of G.J. Gardner Warrnambool, who supported this native tree planting project through the leadership of Andrew Wormsley, a long time supporter of our work at Fifteen Trees.

We are equally grateful to the Hopkins Falls Landcare Group also who did the planting, alongside local land owners David & Jan Woolly, whose Purnim property they were planted on.

Warrnambool district is known for to components not particularly good for soil – dairy production, and wind. Cows continuous trodding on soil brings compaction and drainage issues, and wind causing bad soil erosion. By planting trees on land not only helps wildlife and brings oxygen to people, it also really helps soil health, as they draw carbon down to the earth to vastly aid soil regeneration.

Wodonga

Fifteen trees are planted annually for every home sold via Adam and Simone Gregor and their team from G.J. Gardner Wodonga.

This commitment helped them support the planting out of 825 trees during 2022 along the Kiewa River Trail, nestled in Victoria’s High Country region which is on the doorstep of Adam and Simone’s home town. Since 2,013 G.J. Gardner Wodonga’s tally of trees planted equates to 6,180.

This extraordinary countryside means the river trail takes in the views of both Mount Beauty, across to Mount Bogong, an area thriving with wildlife who will appreciate the extra trees planted out by Mt Beauty Secondary School students and Upper Kiewa Landcare.

Yarra Ranges

Yarra Ranges are on the world map due to their winery tourist trails, for those who love to imbibe. It’s also known for its truly outstanding rainforest-meets-rolling-hills terrain, and is loved by locals and visitor alike.

The planting of 225 trees in 2022 at Dixon Creek in the area, aided by the support of David James and team at G.J. Gardener Yarra Ranges’ commitment to the earth, will bring real benefit to the region’s wildlife corridors. They were planted by Upper Goulburn Landcare Network with the help of ANZ bank staff from the local area.

To date, we have planted over 85,000 native trees on the behalf of GJG franchisees in Victoria and Tasmania. Many thanks to all owners, your impact has been enormous.

If you are also interested in how your business and Fifteen Trees could work together, contact us at <[email protected]> or check out our COMPANY page for more info.

Writer – Lou Ridsdale

Lou is a big fan of words and has been our Comms Manager since 2019.

She is a green thumb, Earth Lover, big-hearted nature freak, plus a savvy media and horticulture expert, who passionately believe that everyone can lead a more nourishing and sustainable life. Her passion for education + communication being the most empowering tool for change is reflected in her setting up her side hustle Hey Hoe Let’s Grow. She also founded Food Is Free Inc., a unique grassroots food security platform specialising in food security education. She fell in love with trees after reading The Magic Faraway Tree as a child.

You can find Lou here.