The Western Program Alliance (WPA) is a project team with a particularly specialised skillset – it is very good at removing level crossings!

The WPA comprises of McConnell Dowell, Arup and Mott Macdonald, Metro Trains Melbourne, VLine and the Level Crossing Removal Project. In amongst all their work is a strong vein of environmental action, from sourcing sustainable materials, to exploring more Earth-friendly alternatives, to setting up recycling and other ethical waste management systems.

WPA acknowledges that when it comes to environmental initiatives, its people are its strength and in 2020 partnered with us to plant trees for each hard-working staff member identified as a Sustainability Warrior.

We love the idea of planting trees as staff rewards and are proud to have recently planted 400 trees for WPA, (50 on the behalf of each warrior). We would like to join in applauding the efforts of the staff acknowledged below.

Andrew Starks | WPA Construction Manager

Andrew has the Starks name, and potentially could be iron man in disguise. He is graceful under pressure and in his ability to multitask. He has great connection with his colleagues and a friendly and easy disposition. He is able to provide detailed knowledge on a variety of subjects in a simple way.

Working consistently hard with a smile on his dial he is irrepressible in fighting the good fight towards great outcomes for the environment and community. He has been very helpful towards successful implementation of warm mix asphalt and Hatelit C – Eco (recycled plastic geogrid reinforcement replacing asphalt);  and electric plant and equipment, and Ekopipe (in spite of them not coming to fruition).

Nadine Nefdt | DIT Engineering Coordinator

Nadine has been a prodigious sustainability warrior that has played a pivotal part in implementation of many sustainability initiatives for the Western Program Alliance. She was particularly helpful in coordinating the complex delivery of the first Calcined Clay concrete pour in the Australian rail industry.

Nadine is a very organised, and high achieving individual, but most of all has a big laugh and heart of gold. She is phenomenal at dealing with multiple stakeholders, getting designs changed, and guiding people towards obtaining positive environmental, economic and social outcomes.

William Li | DIT Construction Manager 

William is a force to be reckoned with in the construction industry, and sustainability space. He is driven, unflappable and talented at delivering tangible benefits for the community.  Some examples of his fine work in the sustainability space include removing roadblocks in ensuring that the first Calcined Clay concrete pour in the rail industry in Australia went ahead.

William also made sure that the Mount Derrimut Road project sustainability designs were constructed in spite of cost pressures. This work led to this project being a Banksia Finalist, and Australasian Rail Award Winner.  He also directly contributed to ensuring that an electric excavator was used on the Mount Derrimut Road project.

Kathleen Villaluz | DIT Project Engineer 

Kathleen is great at working in hostile environments juggling handfuls of subbies at a time with consummate ease.  She was instrumental in ensuring that the Calcined Clay concrete pour went ahead delivering all information when requested with efficient speed and accuracy.

Additionally, Kathleen has been great at suggesting more sustainable alternatives for the Diggers Rest Project from her previous experiences on other projects.

The trees were planted at Molesworth in the beautiful Taungurung country, just north of Melbourne by the Upper Goulburn Landcare Network (UGLN). The site completes a wildlife corridor from the Goulburn River, 700m to the vegetation on the roadside of Killingworth Rd Molesworth. The area includes a lagoon bank, an area of river flats and some higher dryer country.

The species planted included; Swamp gum, Blackwood, River Bottlebrush, Tree Violet, Prickly Tea-tree, Woolly-Tea-tree, Black Wattle, Manna Gum, Common Tussock grass, Golden Wattle, Hedge Wattle, Grey Box.

These plants will enhance the native environment by looking better than pasture, providing habitat for native wildlife, providing a corridor for wildlife to move in a greater area, and by competing with introduced pasture grasses for nutrients and water.

Thanks so much to to our sponsors WPA who funded our trees. Your generosity is making a difference to the natural environment, and we appreciate you contribution.

Therese Bradshaw | Landcare Member | Upper Goulburn Landcare Network

The list of native wildlife that live in this area include; wombats, wallabies, kangaroos, echidnas, koalas, possums, turtles, platypus, brown, black and tiger snakes, and frogs. Native birds that have been recorded at the site include; Magpies, Little Pied Cormorant, Pacific Black Duck, Willie Wagtail, Welcome Swallow, Fairy-wren, Galah, Silvereye, White-browed Scrubwren, Red Browed Finch, Grey Butcherbird, Dusky Moorhen and Noisy Friarbird.

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: Colleen B. Filippa

With a background in Environmental Science, Colleen is the Founding Director of Fifteen Trees. In 2009, after 20 years in primary, 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 Landcare, schools and environmental networks.