Another successful ‘open source software‘ conference was held earlier this year by Linux Australia. Running since 1999, Linux is the largest linux and open source conference in the Asia-Pacific region. Their annual conference provides technical presentations from industry leaders and experts on a wide array of subjects relating to open source projects, data and open government and community engagement. In January this year, the conference was held at the Gold Coast.

To help reduce the carbon footprint of the event, conference organizer Sae-Ra Germaine gave attendees the option to ‘tick’ a box (upon registering) to buy a tree for one of our community projects. Thanks to generous attendees, enough money was raised to enable the planting of 200 trees in Central Victoria by Campaspe Valley Landcare.

The Campaspe Valley Landcare Group is within the area between the lower reaches of the Coliban and Campaspe Rivers leading to Lake Eppalock. The area includes the town of Redesdale and the Barfold district. It geographic centre is situated approximately 20 km North of Kyneton.

The Landcare group is actively involved in projects such as protecting waterways, restoring native vegetation, preserving and enhancing wildlife habitat, building walking tracks and interpretive signage in reserves. They also establish wildlife corridors, biolinks and develop partnerships with community groups e.g. schools, while providing community education about environmental issues. They also develop local community environmental focused social networks.

The group aims to protect large old paddock trees, rejuvenate river systems, connect biodiverse landscape, protect large areas of remnant vegetation, revegetate between large patches of remnant vegetation, revegetate the under-storey species missing from our landscape, protect roadside vegetation  and propagate and revegetate indigenous endangered flora for such species as the Powerful Owl, the Black Duck and the Phascogale.

Fifteen Trees is truly honoured to be able to assist such a mighty group. And we all thank Linux for their ongoing support of our native environment.

We can also help your conference run with a small footprint. Check out our hints and suggestions and then talk to Melinda <[email protected]> to talk all things trees!

Writer – Colleen Filippa | Founder and Director | Fifteen Trees

Campaspe Valley: 2400 trees | Evoke 332 | Shane and Su Yin 130 | Spinifex Gum 705 | CERES 155 | Linux Conference 200 | Bar Choir 35 | BallaRAT 62 | Brigidine Sisters  180 | Subscribers (Anus &Celeste) 350 | Frolic Festival 100 | Western Program Alliance 150