The linux conference (open source software) is held yearly at various locations around Australia. This year the conference was held in Ballarat. Being green focused, Sae-Ra from the group contacted Fifteen Trees to discuss options about how to run the conference with a small footprint. As a result, delegates, when registering for the conference, had a ‘tick’ the box option to buy a tree for planting in the local area. One hundred and twenty two people decided to take up this option and as a result, 122 trees were planted in the Ballarat district across 3 locations. The Vanderbeeks and Zoutendijk families each planted out 60 native trees and the remaining 2 (fruit) trees were planted at Creswick North Primary School.

Below are some of the comments and photos taken by the 3 groups.

“Living on the Goldfields of Central Victoria requires an ongoing commitment to re-planting and restoring the native flora post the big land clearing efforts of gold seekers more than 100 years ago. Thanks to Fifteen Trees, our native re-establishment plan has been given a boost with 60 native trees.. This will help build the native flora for more birds and other native animals. It is already a popular site for animals and, thanks to a nice rainy autumn season, all 60 plants are thriving. We would like to thank the nursery and Fifteen Trees for supporting our initiative and for the very high quality seedlings”. C. Vanderbeek

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“We are eternally grateful to those who make these trees available for us – apart from about six old gums and two younger ones there were no other trees on our property. We now have close to a thousand trees at various stages of growth from seven years to six months .Thank you ever so much”.  G & G Zoutendijk

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Thank you to the organisers of the linux-conf – and of course thank you to the delegates who chipped in $5.00 each to have a tree planted on their behalf.

Slainte – Colleen

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