Events are by their nature resource-intensive. Temporary fencing, portable facilities, crowd barriers, track mats and the logistics of keeping thousands of people safe, comfortable and moving at a festival, concert or sporting event require a lot of equipment and a lot of effort. Planet Hire has been providing exactly that service across Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo for over 20 years, and they’ve built a strong reputation for reliable, professional and friendly service along the way.
Behind the practical business of event hire, Planet Hire has made a commitment to the environment that we think is worth celebrating. This sustainable family business is supporting Australian community tree planting projects through Fifteen Trees. Helping us to put native trees back into the landscapes that surround the communities they serve every day.
Trees for us resemble ancient pillars sustaining all life, we are nature and by supporting tree planting we support not only ourselves but future generations.
Ivan Gandara | Owner | Planet Hire
It’s a fitting gesture from a company whose own tagline speaks to cleaner, greener events and whose home in Long Forest sits on the edge of one of Victoria’s most remarkable mallee scrub ecosystems. Some commitments make a lot of sense when you know where a business comes from.
The Maude, Meredith and Districts Landcare Group (est in 1986) was one of the first landcare groups to be formed in Victoria. Initially the group came together to focus on working collaboratively as a community to tackle the threat posed by the noxious weed, Serrated Tussock as well as rabbits. These invasive species were causing degradation of soil and the health of the landscape, impacting upon agriculture and environmental values.
In contemporary times, the group’s focus is to promote conservation of land and waterways. The Moorabool River is the major waterway that runs through this district and together with all its tributaries, the Moorabool is a vital and beautiful natural asset which the locals are passionate about protecting. Revegetation of this site will help to boost the biodiversity and habitat values of the whole river corridor which acts as an important chain of habitat links through the region.
The species planted will enhance the local environment by providing biodiversity and habitat. Once mature, they will provide shade and sources of food and shelter for native fauna. The species that were planted are native to the local area. A variety of species was selected in order to provide different types of niches in the vegetated habitat, including tall long-lived tree species like the Yellow gum, medium-sized shorter-lived pioneer species such as the wattles, Sweet bursaria which is a haven and food source for small birds and beneficial insects. The native grasses that were planted are long-lived and self-seeding species that will assist in developing the important ground-layer, replicating the natural woodland forest ecosystem.
Magic happens when people come together to plant trees! It was also a day when relationships were forged, connections built, helping to foster the next generation of volunteers to keep this passion going.
Elissa Ashton-Smith | Landcare Facilitator | Maude Landcare Group
Thank you Ivan and the team at Planet Hire for your support of our native environment.
Writer: Colleen B. Filippa
With a background in Environmental Science (Melbourne Uni), Colleen is the Founding Director of Fifteen Trees. In 2009, after 20 years in secondary and tertiary education institutions, Colleen left the classroom to start the company. Fifteen Trees is a social enterprise assisting individuals and companies to reduce their carbon footprint by supporting community groups such as Geelong Landcare.
