Community connections at the heart of National Tree Day events
By Jennifer McMillan 27 August 2024
Collective action is essential to drive National Tree Day events, often requiring collaboration between multiple groups. Community is the foundation, with events made up of councils, schools, early learning centres, Landcare groups, environmental groups, aged care centres, businesses and Toyota Dealers from around the country.
Celebrating 25 years of support from Toyota Dealers
For 25 years, Toyota Dealers have played a significant role in these efforts, consistently supporting volunteer-led groups and schools. Their contributions range from providing merchandise, funding for seedlings and equipment, and offering event support, to organising free tree giveaways, providing meals for volunteers after planting and even arranging ambassador appearances with AFL legends. It can be connections formed over decades or new collaborations, it's these community connections that make each Tree Day event a success.
Planting for the critically endangered western ringtail possum
The Busselton Toyota team has been a strong supporter of GeoCatch’s tree planting events for many years. This year, they supplied funding for 1,000 trees across three school visits, while The Seedling bank also funded another 1,000 planted by the wider community. The new trees will help to reconnect fragmented habitat for the critically endangered western ringtail possum.
GeoCatch Natural Resource Officer Nicole Lincoln says, “Ongoing support from Busselton Toyota allows us to continue to offer local schools a fun and informative opportunity to plant trees, learn about the western ringtail possum and be part of the solution to help in its recovery.”
Installing new herb gardens for aged care residents and kindergarten students
For the third year in row, the team at Ken Mills Toyota visited Estia Health aged care facility to plant a new herb garden for the residents. There was laughter, cups of tea enjoyed together in the sunshine and group activities to celebrate trees. The Ken Mills team also supported the youngest community members at a community kindergarten where they assisted kids with planting native plants and vegetables.
Supporting horticultural and conservation students in South Australia
Over the last three years, year 11 and 12 students studying horticulture and Conservation and Ecosystem Management, have embarked on an ecosystem reconstruction project. The project involves woody weed control, rubbish removal, surveys and revegetation to improve connectivity and corridors. The area is being planted with species grown by college students to support the threatened yellow tailed black cockatoos of South Australia. Victor Harbour Toyota partnered with these students from Investigator College to plant over 700 seedlings to celebrate National Tree Day.
Adelaide Crows stars inspire the next generation of environmental stewards
The Peter Kittle Toyota team celebrated Schools Tree Day with Trinity College Roseworthy. The students dug in with Adelaide Crows icons Taylor Walker and Mark Ricciuto to plant trees and shrubs with the students.
North Point Toyota teamed up with St Francis Xavier College for the second year in a row. More teammates from the Adelaide Crows joined in to help plant 150 trees and kick the footy with students.
Thanks to Major Sponsor Toyota Australia for 25 years of support with National Tree Day. This long-term partnership encourages involvement across the entire Toyota network including Teammates, the Dealer network and brand ambassadors. It provides invaluable support to local schools, councils and community groups, helping them with their mission to green their local communities.
Jen worked as a vet nurse while studying environmental science and completing her master's degree in Journalism. She loves bushwalking, storytelling, caring for baby animals, Australian birds and river red gums. Jen works on the National Tree Day campaign and Planet Ark's Seedling Bank.
