Pana Barbounis, founder of Pana Chocolate,  has generously donated 9,600 trees to Fifteen Trees for distribution to community groups in Victoria and NSW. This Flowerdale planting site is one of 6 areas to receive Pana trees. Other areas include University of Newcastle, Kinglake, Ballina, Brisbane Ranges and Botany Bay National Park. [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

Two thousand trees were planted at Moores Rd in Flowerdale on Father’s Day by a team of 28 including Pana chocolate lovers and Pana himself. The day was coordinated by Steve and Heather Joblin from the Flowerdale Landcare Group. Steve writes … Around 9:30 a.m., volunteers began arriving at the appointed meeting spot, the Flowerdale Hotel. Mostly unknown to each other, they had come in answer to an Instagram message from Pana Chocolate. Pana arrived first and as people rolled up, was quick to offer refreshment in the form of bananas and dainties baked by Dimitra, Pana’s mum. The group moved down the road to the property of Wayne and Pam Watson. Pam and Wayne have a rural property on an ephemeral tributary to the King Parrot Creek. This tributary is being transformed from an eroded watercourse infested by weeds, mostly blackberries and pussy willow, into another bit of Paradise in the Flowerdale Valley. [/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

Work began in earnest at around 10:30 and the last tree was in the ground by 4:30 p.m. Of course a break of about an hour was taken at lunch time to do justice to the wonderful vegan lunch put together by the Barbounis family. The colours, texture and flavours were to die for, and as an organiser I feared there would not be much progress after lunch on the planting. Yet, fortified and fueled by exquisite foods and chocolates (Yes! Pana remembered to bring them), the team kept me running backwards and forwards to my nursery to pick up more and more plants, guards and stakes. I had seriously underestimated the ability of the volunteers to be able to plant the 2,000 target (normally our Flowerdale Landcare volunteers work from 10 to 12.30 and finish with lunch!) The end result of the day was not only the planting of a small forest which will absorb carbon and give us oxygen for the next couple of generations, but also a wonderful social occasion where strangers met and enjoyed the camaraderie of working together in such a beautiful setting. – to coin a corny phrase – “Connection through Confection” [/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

Thanks to my wife Heather for her organisational skills and support for the day, to Pam and Wayne for opening their home and welcoming the project, to Fifteen Trees, for providing the stakes and guards, to the Upper Goulburn Landcare Network for supplying tools. Thanks again to Pana for his enthusiastic support for the environment and the Flowerdale region for the third year in a row. Thanks to all who came to help the Project on Fathers Day. A huge day of planting by Pana and Co, 2,000 trees planted in one day is an amazing effort. Trees donated by Pana Chocolate are slowly transforming this beautiful valley. As Steve said ‘they planted a small forest’. Slainte (Irish for cheers) – Colleen[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]