Sydney-based Pollen Consultancy Group takes its bee metaphors seriously. It’s all about collaboration, building connections, working towards a common goal and delivering something real at the end. As a young company, Pollen brings new energy and fresh sensibility to the fast-moving consumer goods sector. It also applies a sustainability lens to the supply chain, looking at everything from environmentally friendly packaging solutions to ethical promotional campaigns.
It’s fitting that a company with the website tag ‘from little things, big things grow’ is also into planting trees. Pollen has committed to purchasing 1500 trees per year through Fifteen Trees to reduce the carbon footprint of its business activities.
This year, to date, we have planted 1,125 Pollen trees in QLD and VIC.
We have kicked off Pollen’s trees for the year by planting 200 trees in the beautiful district of Cape Tribulation, QLD.
The trees were planted by community group Daintree Life at Cape Tribulation. Working with a team of 14 volunteers, they planted 500 trees of which 200 have been sponsored by Pollen.
In conjunction with Douglas Shire Council, various stakeholders and landowners, Daintree Life aims to:
Connie, Dave and the team from Daintree Life were delighted with the trees we were able to provide them with and sincerely thank our ongoing supporters such as Pollen Consultancy Group.
Native tree species included River-red gum, Yellow gum, Manna gum, Sweet Bursaria, Wirilda and Lightwood. All trees were sourced from local indigenous nursery at Western Plains Flora and planted by volunteers from the Koala Clancy Foundation in the Brisbane Ranges (VIC).
This self-funded foundation is working with landowners and councils to provide connecting habitat corridors for their local wild koala populations. During the course of this planting season (April – September) they planted out a massive 20,000 trees. With 925 trees coming from Pollen Consultancy, they have been able to fence off and plant out an entire section of land in the Brisbane Ranges, just to the west of Melbourne.
At the Koala Clancy Foundation, koalas are their top priority and to properly care for one specie, they have to care for the entire ecosystem. When they plant trees for koalas, they are also providing habitat for local bird species such as these 4 threatened woodland birds; Speckled Warbler (top L), Diamond Fire-tail (top R), Brown Treecreeper bottom L) and Jacky Winter (bottom R).
Thank you so much for your support this tree planting season. Thanks to supporters like you we hit our aim of 20,000 trees this season.
Janine Duffy | President | Koala Clancy Foundation
This year we have planted 1500 Pollen trees in the beautiful state of Tasmania. The trees have gone across 5 sites:
SITE A. The planting of these trees occurred over multiple days on site at Queechy High School, behind the school’s vegetable patch. The planting involved a number of groups of students who have aboriginal heritage. The school were able to complete the planting in short bursts with willing and able students.
Some of the species planted included: Acacia, Allocasuarina, Leptospermum, Lomandra, Bulbine and Eucalyptus gunnii.
SITE B. At the Exeter Childcare Centre, the West Tamar Landcare Network planted out 150 trees and shrubs. Over time, these trees will provide habitat to the local native birds, reptiles, insects and mammals. They will also provide shade and climbing trees for the little ones at the centre.
SITE C. Plantings were taken place over several days with members from 3 generations of the Mitchelson family on the Meander River, filling in between existing trees. With weeding and planting, it took them some time to plant out 500 trees.
SITE D. Trees were planted just outside Seymour, TAS. Preparation began by mowing the grass and laying out all the stakes roughly 3 metres apart. The trees were planted in already fenced areas on the property to limit access to the seedlings by wildlife and sheep. Species include: Acacia Melanoxylon, Callistemon Pallidus, Callistemon Viridiflorus and Hakea Nodosa. All trees were purchased from Waratah Materials, facilitated by Landcare Tasmania.
The planting took place over several days by Paul and Allison Peacock.
Site E. It was a challenge to schedule a planting day with the Friends of Collinsvale because the Brumby family had a newborn baby with an unpredictable sleep schedule. So, Ruben and Sarah decided to plant themselves when they had the opportunity. Due to heavy clay soil they pre-dug holes, cleared weeds and mulched. The couple methodically planted a band of plants that supports local wildlife, links with the nearby bush reserve and revegetates cleared farmland.
Some of the species included: Acacia melanoxylon, Acacia riceana, Callistemon pallidus, Callistemon viridiflorus, Diplarrena moraea, Eucalyptus amygdalina, Eucalyptus dalrympleana, Eucalyptus ovata, Eucalyptus sieberi.
This year, we have planted 1,000 trees on Pollen’s behalf. The trees have gone to 3 sites:
SITE A. The native trees at Wagga Wagga were planted with a focus on locally indigenous species which have been planted along a section of the Wiradjuri walking track near the city centre of Wagga Wagga.
Importantly, the site is also heavily utilised as a recreational path for locals and visitors to the city and offers the potential for high engagement and educational value.
We really appreciate the support of Pollen Consulting Group and Fifteen Trees. This important site forms part of the Murrumbidgee River corridor which is a significant biodiversity corridor. Now with your input, the site now offers greater habitat value as native vegetation is increased and diversified.
Edward Maher | President | Wagga Wagga Urban Landcare
SITE B. Over at Orange, NSW, John Dalton, State Landcare Coordinator 2004-08 and founding member of Landcare NSW Inc, has planted 240 trees on his property thanks to Pollen’s generosity. John is actively establishing linkages along fence lines and planting mostly local Box Gum Woodland species such as White Box, Yellow Box and Blakely’s Red Gum.
SITE C. In Tasmania, 600 trees were planted at a couple of locations, including Cemetery Point and Gunns Plains Rd.
The Cemetery Point Coast Care Group feels incredibly privileged to receive the support of Landcare Tasmania, and supporters of Fifteen Trees, such as Pollen, to protect and improve this small coastal reserve on the Tasman Peninsula for current and future visitors.
Christine Bayley, | Member | Cemetery Point Coastcare
The first 500 trees have been planted at the Westgate Bridge, as part of the ongoing revegetation and regeneration project.
The area below the Westgate Bridge in Victoria was a casualty of progress for many years. Vegetation was decimated, and local fauna all but disappeared. Cut forward to now, and it’s a whole new story. The combined efforts of thousands of committed volunteers, not-for-profit organisations, different levels of government and corporate support have resulted in a thriving new park and wetland area. Birds, amphibians and other creatures have returned. Complex indigenous vegetation areas are becoming established.
Efforts under the Westgate are ongoing, with more trees and shrubs being planted on a regular basis. Fifteen Trees is very proud to be part of this project. It works as a highly visible reminder to thousands of daily commuters of the importance of looking after our natural world. It also shows what can be achieved when many people come together with a common goal for the common good. Pollen Consultancy Group’s hive mindset and emphasis on connection and problem-solving resonates well with this ethos. It’s so good to see consultancy companies looking after the integrity of their own ‘supply chain’ as well as those of their clients.
Thank you to Paul Eastwood and the team at Pollen Consulting Group for your generous support of our revegetation projects across Australia. If you would like to also support our revegetation projects, please contact Melinda <[email protected]>
Article by Sarah Hart
Sarah is an artist whose passions include the stories and experiences of women and narrative driven creative work. Her aim is to delight, to reveal glimpses of everyday beauty, and to celebrate flights of the ordinary. Sarah works across a range of media, with an abiding interest in pen and ink, mixed media and the human form.
Restoring Australian ecosystems. Supporting communities with their revegetation projects for a greener and healthier planet.
Fifteen Trees acknowledges Indigenous Australians as the traditional custodians of the lands on which we work, live and play.
We recognise that Indigenous Australians have cared for and lived in harmony with this land for millennia, and their knowledge and wisdom of the land endures.
We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and stand in solidarity as Indigenous Australians seek a fairer and more sustainable future for the land and its people.