Fifteen Trees is a social enterprise on a mission. We know that the daily consumption of stuff in modern life can be a hard habit to break, and times like Christmas can be particularly overwhelming if you are trying to reduce personal waste. Here at Fifteen Trees, we provide a simple way to disrupt consumerism: with trees! Every Christmas, people purchase trees from us as gifts for their loved ones. There is no wrapping paper, and no batteries are needed when you gift a tree. But even without the trimmings and the trappings, this gift will continue to grow – past the Boxing Day and New Year sales and into the next decade.

Thank you to the following who purchased 15 trees.

• Anna Watts,
• Rebecca Sharpe. ‘With a combined age of 100, happy birthday to Kerryn & Sara who are dear friends and excellent humans. With love from Liz & Bek’.
• Elizabeth Houston purchased trees in loving memory of her mother.
• Laurel Freeland, purchased trees as a gift for a birthday and Christmas to her daughter. ‘Meaghan is modelling something important for her girls and wants to show that she values trees over ‘stuff!’
• Hayley Bryan.
• Megan Upton. ‘Dear Friends, You are lifelong friends. Here is a gift of trees for you and your family. To the future! Happy Christmas Love Meg, Leh and Dom XXX’.
• St Aloysius PS raised the funds for these trees.
• Carla Bergen. ‘Merry Christmas S-Bizzle from C-Bizzle‘.
• Greg Ellis.  
• Peta Condon.
• Rachel Goff, purchased trees for her little niece Etta for her very first birthday.
• Adrianne Bergen.
• Alison Barnes.
• Natalie Bennett.
• Sienna Gardner has planted these trees for her father. ‘The trees are for my dad, Paul, who has been an avid tree lover and environmentalist his entire life. We recently planted a native tree corridor extending from our rainforest and along the edge of the property- but he can’t get enough! He’s been going on clandestine tree planting missions all through the orchards and garden beds. Which is fabulous…except we’re running out of space. This way, he can still sate his love of trees, and help rejuvenate native forests, but we can avoid being swallowed by towering gums, Lilly Pillis and Figs’. 
• Natasha Ludowyk purchased the trees for Tristan Ludowyk.
• Jess Tatham-Thompson purchased in memory of her dearly loved brother Will Norman.
• Matt Halford.

Thank you to the following who purchased 30 trees.

• Dennis Fraser-Jones purchased trees for Tim & Helen Roper and Peter & Julie Hayes.
• Suzanne Horni. These trees are Christmas gifts for Will & Lauren and Greta & Steve.
• Selina Hughes.
• Geoffrey Bergen.
• John O’Neil.

And thank you to Elizabeth Lee, Jade Compston, Mel Gatens, Kristylee Thompson and Jordan Pritchard for all purchasing 1 tree for Noah’s birthday.

All up, this Christmas period, we planted 415 native trees. Some were planted as Christmas gifts, some as birthday gifts, and others as gifts to the planet and in memory of loved ones, so missed at this time of the year. The trees were planted  in the west at Esperance, WA.

The trees were planted by Dalyup River Catchment Group members Dorothy and Richard Henderson. The Dalyup River runs into the Lake Gore RAMSAR listed wetlands of international significance, a place of particular importance to migratory waterbirds. The types of trees planted were 4 different species of melaleuca and 2 different species of acacia or wattle.

The trees have been planted in an area devoid of native vegetation (until now) as early colonial land practise was to remove all trees and shrubs to make room for pasture and stock. In fact, since 1895, 90% of native plants have been removed from along the Dalyup River catchment. This new planting project by the Hendersons will serve as a wildlife corridor between the river and adjoining bushland. The variety of wildlife coming back into the district includes; kangaroos, bandicoots, nightjars, red-capped parrots, galahs, crested pigeons, magpies, butcher birds, blue-tongue lizards, dugites and tiger snakes.

By helping us to re-vegetate this land, you have helped us bring life back to the land. It would not have been possible for us to do the rehabilitation work that we have done without the help of others. Bringing trees back into this landscape has brought it, quite literally, back to life.

The most obvious change has been the variety of birds that now come into the district.

The trees we plant provide habitat for other creatures, while also serving as wind breaks helping to prevent erosion, and soaking up excess moisture in areas prone to water-logging and salinity.

Dorothy Henderson | Member | Dalyup River Catchment Group

 

Thank you to everyone for avoiding the stuff-buying frenzy this year with gifts for the planet.

Writer: Bronwyn Blaiklock.

Bronwyn is a multidisciplinary creative: a poet, a pianist, a reformed perfectionist. She has worked in the creative and education sectors for over 25 years. She also confesses to having an affair with an accordion, but whatever you do, don’t tell the piano. Find Bronwyn here.

Consider purchasing your friends and loved ones something that helps repair the planet: trees. We will do the planting, and we will let you know where the trees have been planted. That way, your friends and loved ones can sit under its shade in a few years’ time and remember the beautiful gift you gave them that Christmas. Make your Christmas a forest.