NEWS

How to run a National Tree Day event in your community

By Claire Laws 14 February 2024

Join us to celebrate trees and connect with community for National Tree Day (28 July).

Each year, thousands of plantings are held across Australia to celebrate National Tree Day. By joining in and running your own community planting, you will be part of Australia’s largest nature care event and contribute to the Tree Day community’s ongoing and collective positive environmental impact. 

Whether it's your first time organising a planting, or you have been involved in the campaign before, here are a few tips to help you plan and organise a National Tree Day event. 

Choosing a planting site 

Perhaps the trickiest part of planning your own event is finding an appropriate location. If you do not have your own private land to plant on, you can contact your local council to see if they have a suitable location available. It is also important to think about any future site maintenance needed to maximise seedling survival, including watering and weeding, which the council may be able to assist with.  

Selecting your plants 

Once you have found an appropriate planting site (and sought permission from the landholder), you will need to start thinking about sourcing seedlings for the day. Again, your local council is a great place to start. If your local council has a community nursery you may like to take a trip there. Community nurseries often grow seedlings from local seed and the staff will have a wealth of knowledge to help you with your plant selection. If your local council does not have a community nursery, you can contact your local Bushcare Officer (or equivalent) to seek advice.  

You should choose local plant species and go for a mix of growth forms (including trees, shrubs and ground covers), where possible. This will ensure you select plants appropriate for your site and climate and build a vegetation structure which creates complex habitat and is more likely to encourage native wildlife. 

Extra support 

Many councils support community Tree Day plantings. Check with your local council to see if they offer free seedlings for community plantings or if they are happy to provide other logistical support on the day. 

Community groups can also apply for funding to purchase seedlings with grants from Planet Ark's Seedling Bank. The current round of funding closes Friday 1 March, so be sure to register your planting before then. You can apply for Seedling Bank funding as part of the registration process.  

Spreading the word  

Be sure to register your planting on the National Tree Day. If you don’t have one already, you will first need to create a Tree Day profile. Once you are logged in, you can register your planting event.  

Registering your event will ensure your planting is included in the national tally and, if you register your planting as a public event, volunteers can RSVP to join your event via our find a site page. You will also be covered by our Public Liability insurance. 

When logged into the Coordinator Hub, you have access to our full range of National Tree Day resources and promotional materials, including guides, posters and participation certificates. 

There are many other ways to celebrate National Tree Day 

Although it is super fun and rewarding, hosting your own community planting is not the only way to celebrate National Tree Day.   

If you are unable to run your own planting this year, you can find a site near you. As well as getting your hands dirty in your local community, you might pick up some additional tips for holding your own planting in the future.  

School groups celebrate Schools Tree Day on the last Friday in July (26 July). Like community groups, schools are also eligible to apply for funding from Planet Ark’s Seedling Bank, so be sure to register your school’s planting before Friday 1 March.

If you need further assistance to register a planting event or have any questions about how you can get involved in National Tree Day, feel free to reach out to us on 1300 88 5000 or email treeday@planetark.org.