Knowing the impact of so many competitors (and their supporters) who visit in The Great Ocean Road for the Running Festival, IMG Live Events is committed to protecting the land on which they race.

 

Thank you to sponsors at Fifteen Trees for your kindness in purchasing these trees for our revegetation project at Woolsthorpe.

Kylie Boyce |

 

 

This revegetation site plays a significant role in providing habitat to local native wildlife such as eagles, fantails, kingfishes, guinea fowls, finches, emus, magpies, cockatoos (in fact this district is home to 527 species of birdlife), plus koalas, kangaroos, and possums.

 

Site B | Freshwater Creek | 155 trees planted

The site for these trees was at Common Ground Farm at Freshwater Creek, located on the traditional land of the Wadawurrung/Wathaurong people of the Kulin Nation. The farm is a core business stream in this social enterprise. As a community farm, they run volunteer programs which are very popular among locals, plus workshops and school programs on a variety of food-growing related topics.

The farm’s mission is to create;

• a vibrant and biodiverse space,
• provide an example of regenerative farming and
• allow for community driven food production.

Common Ground Farm believes that people need locally adapted models as an example of what is possible. The trees planted at the farm will provide food and shelter for pollinators. This incorporates biodiversity and supportive planting techniques to create a diverse and integrative system.

Recently, 50 students and 3 teachers from Camberwell Grammar School joined the Common Ground Farm for a tree planting day. The Year 7 students used the day as an introduction to sustainable food systems and to learn how community can participate in landscape restoration.

Some of the species planted included; Bellarine Yellow Gum, Blackwood, Black Wattle, Golden Wattle, River Bottlebrush, Drooping Sheoak, River Sheoak, Hop Goodenia, White Correa and three types of native grasses – Wallaby, Kangaroo and Spear.

The area was historically a seasonal floodplain and wooded grassland. Through land clearing and overgrazing it is now an exposed, invasive-dominated grassland. This planting looks to restore diversity in species, habitat and structure to the local ecosystem. Over time, the trees will provide shelter for wildlife that relies on mid and understory vegetation, reduce wind and evaporation, and contribute to restoring soil health and ecology by assisting with flood or drought mitigation.

The farm is home to many native animals, birds, insects and organisms that support the healthy function of a natural ecosystem. The health of the biodiversity of the land extends beyond just the fence-line.Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Echidnas, Bandicoots, Tiger Snakes, Wedgetail Eagles, Black Kites, Nankeen Kestrels, Black Ducks and Wood Ducks all call this district home.

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.