Individual actions really do matter! Individually we can really only make small differences to the world around us, but collectively our numbers add up. And if enough individuals are involved then forests can be grown!

And the proof is here!

Shout out to all these extraordinary individuals who have all purchased 15 trees;

• Adrian MacDonald (Germany)
• Robyn Ashmore
• Clare Carlsson
• Robert Taylor
• Ashley Bedford
• Michelle Gardner
• Helen Pritchard
• Shenaaz Hoosein
• Llewelyn Wishart
• Sarah Kelly
• Amanda Collins
• Georgina Gallagher
• Sam McColl
• Alex Pritchard (UK)
• Darryl Pierce
• Paul Mason (2 X 15)

Another thank you is in order to these generous souls who have purchased 15 trees as gifts for:

• Earnest McLeod, The Hyno Coach, from AACHP.
• Jayne Corner, from AACHP.
• Georgia Houlihan from Auntie Lani Howe.
• New borns, Beau, Marlie and Mila. ‘A gift, with much love to you for the hope of a better world. May you grow strong & stand tall, magnificent in being you. Cassie Beardsley’.
• Julia Kosky.
• Geoffrey Bergon’s daughter on her birthday.
• Wayne on his wedding anniversary. ‘Dear Wayne. Happy 5th Anniversary. Because the tradition is wood, I thought it would be lovely to watch these trees grow as we grow together. All my love, Claire’.
• Tonya Roberts.
• Jenny Dewis. ‘Happy Mother’s Day mum. Love Mark’.
• Cherry Sinclair. ‘Best wishes and congratulations on your 90^th birthday. Much love from Bronwyn & Grace’.
• Jo Raphael. ‘Happiest of birthdays Jo. You are committed to the environment. These trees will hopefully bring you joy and be a legacy. Much love, Meg’. 
• Ben Cashore. ‘Dear Ben, Thank you for taking the time to deliver an engaging seminar on tacking interdisciplinary research challenges in a data-driven world and workshopping interdisciplinary research questions with PhD candidates and ECRs. Your enthusiasm and advice were greatly appreciated by all who attended. Please accept this gift as a token of our appreciation for your generosity. Best wishes, Kathryn, Belle and the Melbourne Climate Futures team’.

And 45 trees as a gift to:

• Engaged couple Will & Lara. ‘Congratulations to you both, Hayden Stephens’. 

Plus 60 trees as gifts for:

• Nerida and Matt on their wedding day. ‘Sixty guests. Sixty trees. Earth Day. What a beautiful day for a wedding! Fern Hames’.
• Kate Barr on her 60th birthday from her loving husband Kevin.
• Katie Hokin. ‘Dear Katie, Here is the beginnings of your forest. Love Liz and Simon xx’

We also planted 15 trees in loving memory of:

• Dolores McKeown (nee McCuskey). ‘In loving memory of our beautiful cousin Dolores. Sincere condolences to our extended family in Ireland. Love from the Australian branch of the McCuskeys’.
• Paul Falla. Our beautiful nephew Paul, a man who would do anything for the family. So loved. So missed. Albert, Colleen, Daniel, Gabe and Jules. 
• Anton Miklic. ‘While we didn’t know you, we do know your beautiful family through your grandchildren Leanne, Antoni and Shilo and their parents Mariana and Andrew. And what a pleasure it is to know them. Colleen and Albert Filippa’.
• Sol Minh Tue (April 2021). ‘By planting trees, we just want to let him know that we will continue doing good things and live a good life on his behalf from Arsalan and Hannah.’
• Elisabeth (Lisa) Maria Over (1944 – 1922) from class 5 at Sophia Mundi Steiner School.
• Barry Dunkley from from sistres; Blanka Dudas, Carolyn Rich and Katie Roberts.
• Marshall Thompson, Portland Oregon, USA. ‘Beautiful trees that will grow in to big ones for you, dear Marshall. RIP. Justin and Diana Akkerman’.
• Vidhya and family. ‘Thinking of you all at this sad time. We have planted 15 trees in memory of Aunty Hema. Sending you love and hugs, Serina and Joy, Sirisha and Ayush, Sudha and Chaitanya, Dharshini and Ranjit, Mithun, Darren and Shami, Krupa and Rishi, Dhanya and Vivek, Meera, Anuja and Raar’.

And thank you to the Sisters of St Brigidine for purchasing these trees:

• Rosemary Kerr – 15 trees
• Margaret Duffy – 30 trees
• The Brigidine Community in Malvern – 15 trees
• Julia – 15 trees
• The Brigidine Community in Bonbeach – 15 trees

The native trees (775) were all planted by Trish and John Sweeney from Buloke and Northern Grampians Landcare Group, along with students from St. Arnaud Secondary College at Winjallok, VIC.

It was very much a community gathering when Landcare Co-ordinator Andrew Borg organised a planting day with Year 9 students (as part of their Biodiversity Week activities) at the property of Trish and John. The trees were sourced from Neangar Nursery and included species indigenous to this particular district.

Significantly, the site selected for the planting is directly adjacent to where Landcare was officially launched in 1985, just on 35 years ago!

The planting of these trees have a number of purposes. They will:

• act as a windbreaks,
• become a biodiversity corridor for the local native animals, and
• be a physical barrier to stop gully erosion.

Thank you to all the supporters of Fifteen Trees. These trees will become a visible legacy of community efforts for many years to come.

Andrew Borg | President | BNGLG

Once again a huge thank you to everyone who contributed to this massive planting day at Buloke, VIC.

Writer: Founding Director of Fifteen Trees, Colleen Filippa