PY Timber Warehouse (PYTW) is a business operating out of Seaford, Victoria, whose consideration of their environmental impact is <ahem> right up our tree. Providing sustainable timber is a key part of their strategy to contribute to protecting the environment, while offsetting and using resources responsibly to help minimise the organisation’s impact. The team behind PY Timber Warehouse has over fifty years’ experience in the construction industry collectively, putting their customers in reliable hands.

It is a business that delivers timber construction material Australia-wide while also demonstrating social responsibility right in the community where help is most needed. PY Timber Warehouse provides resources and know-how to community projects to enact their mission to reduce poverty and hunger and enhance health and well-being in the community. And this is exactly what they are doing through their work with St Vincent’s Foundation and St Mary’s House of Welcome.

Reducing our carbon footprint is one of our key goals. We strive to achieve it by saving energy at every step of our processes. From using sensor lights in our warehouse to creating multi-delivery routes that reduce truck-time on the road that results to less emissions. And also supporting projects and initiatives that contribute to the plantation of sustainable forests.

John Psarris | Owner | PY Timber Warehouse

Over the past 2 years, we have planted PY Timber trees on the Mornington Peninsula, the traditional land of the Bunurong / Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nations, with the Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation (MPKC) as part of their Somers Koala Habitat Project (Coolart to Cerberus Biolink). This is a fabulous project to support. With over 70% of landholders confirming their intent to participate in this revegetation project, it is also backed by Mornington Peninsula Shire, Parks Victoria and the Department of Defence. And now with sponsors such as Fifteen Trees and PY Timber Warehouse, this revegetation project has grown by leaps and bounds.

Here’s a few reasons why this project is so important:

• Recent research from Deakin University suggests that the koala population has been negatively impacted by the highly fragmented nature of habitat on the Mornington Peninsula,
• By providing a wildlife corridor biolink it will allow animals including koalas to move safely, to reach vital food resources and help maintain viable populations,
• Without this, koala populations will inevitably continue to decline, become isolated and may face local extinction.

2023 | Mornington Peninsula | 1,000 trees

The trees were planted across 3 sites on the Peninsula; Mt Martha, Boneo and Pt Leo over the course of the spring and early summer months by members of MPKC.

These sites were chosen to establish wildlife corridors between fragmented outcrops of small reserves. These corridors are important links that give safe passage to not only local koala populations but also to the local echidnas, possums and kangaroos that live in the district.

Planting trees along creek lines are important to the planting team as these sites tend to be significant habitat for koalas and other wildlife. If the property has existing and mature gum trees then that is a real bonus as they give the koalas shelter, food and safety as they travel across various properties.

Some of the species of trees planted included: Coastal Manna, Swamp Gum, Narrow-leaf Peppermint Gum, Manna or Ribbon Gum. All food sources for koalas. As well as these larger trees, some smaller shrubs such as Hop Wattle, Dogwood, Prickly Tea-tree, and Kangaroo Apple were also planted.

PYTW also sponsored 1,000 tree guards for their seedlings, a vital part of ensuring the best possible growing conditions. By sponsoring trees (and kicking in for guards) John and the team are not only reducing their business impact on the environment, but also enabling regional Landcare Groups to plan and complete vital land management projects.

2022 | Mornington Peninsula | 1,000 trees

This year, PY Timber Warehouse partnered with Fifteen Trees to enable the planting of 1,000 koala habitat trees on the Mornington Peninsula. Their contribution will go a long way towards revegetating lands to provide a safe corridor for our cuddly native fauna. Not only that, but it is also a substantial long-term action which will improve the quality of life for future generations.

Some of the trees planted included; Drooping Sheoak, Coastal Banksia, Messmate, Swamp Gum, Coastal Manna Gum, Narrow-leafed Peppermint, Black Wattle, Blackwood, Scented and Swamp Paperbark and Silky Hakea. All koala favourites!

We thank PY Timber Warehouse for contacting Fifteen Trees and then being ready to ‘jump in’ and purchase immediately. This (and the fact that we had such a wet spring) enabled us to have the trees planted in record time. Shoutout also to Dirk and his team of volunteers from MPKC.

If you would like to know more about sponsoring community tree planting projects and how we can assist you in becoming a more sustainable business, please contact Colleen at <[email protected]>.

Writer: Bronwyn Blaiklock.

Bronwyn is a multidisciplinary creative: a poet, a pianist, a reformed perfectionist. She has worked in the creative and education sectors for over 25 years. She also confesses to having an affair with an accordion, but whatever you do, don’t tell the piano. Find Bronwyn here.