G.J. Gardner Homes has been supporting our community tree planting projects since 2013, and in that time, we have planted over 75,000 trees across Victoria and Tasmania due to their generous support. That impressive number comes because G.J. Gardner plants 15 native trees for every home it builds in Tasmania and Victoria.

Simon and Anyeta Spiteri from G.J. Gardner Homes Melbourne North West are generous supporters of local community groups, and their tree planting projects. Simon, Anyeta and their team purchased 615 native plants trees for the Bacchus Marsh region (Victoria), of which 255 trees were planted in 2020 and 360 trees in 2021.

G.J. Gardner prides itself on being a practical, hands-on family affair, and in past years staff have happily gone out with their local community to plant their trees themselves. To keep the local connection, all trees are planted near the offices managing the builds, between 200-900 trees for every district. Local Landcare groups determine the best tree species for the site. The seedlings themselves are often grown by local independent nurseries who have collected seed from the region by hand (with the proper licensing, of course). The sites that have been planted have included nature reserves, parklands, roadsides, school grounds, riverbanks & rural properties.

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.

615 trees and shrubs have been planted by the wonderful team of G.J. Gardner Melbourne North West over the past two years, in the Bacchus Marsh region. Trees play an amazing role in the survival of habitat for animals, as well as humans. The also stockpile carbon, which is very important. Did you know that as trees age they store more carbon : an estimated 70 per cent of all carbon stored in some trees have accumulated in the last half of their lives, and 40 per cent in their last quarter. Puts a lot of weight on the saying ‘the best time to plant a tree was yesterday, the next best time is today.’

43 different species have been planted on this ongoing project co-ordinated by the team at Grow West, according to Helena Lindorff, Environmental Projects Coordinator: Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority. And the land is frequented by three species of falcon indigenous to the area: Brown Falcon, Black Falcon and the Peregrine Falcon.

4,000 trees in total have been planted in this enormous and vital tree planting project. We thank G.J. Gardner Melbourne North West for their contribution.

If you are also interested in how your business and Fifteen Trees could work together, contact Bianca at <[email protected]> and ask for a no obligation proposal or check out our COMPANY page for more info

Writer

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

She is a big-minded green thumb, Earth Lover, big-hearted nature freak plus a savvy media and horticulture expert, who passionately believe that everyone is capable of leading 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 own digital/comms agency Hey Hoe Let’s Grow Socials. 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