More Trees Please! Schools Tree Day 2014

Lee-Ann Officer, Carla Nimiczek, Kerryn Baillie & Hamish Mitchell with students from Belgrave South Primary School

On Schools Tree Day as part of National Tree Day 2014, Belgrave South Primary School was treated to a demonstration on how to plant and care for an advanced tree.

National Tree Day is the perfect opportunity to connect with nature and the local community. With thanks to Principal Kerryn Baillie, and her teaching staff at Belgrave South Primary School, it was a great opportunity to remind everyone about the benefits of trees to our mental and physical wellbeing with particular attention to kids who are the beneficiaries of greater green space.

South Belgrave Primary School is delighted to have a native Brachychiton populneaus x acerifolius 'Bella Pink' now planted directly outside it's main entrance. Growing to 8 metres tall this tree will add shade and interest to the front of the school particularly in summer when pretty clusters of pink, bell-shaped flowers cover the tree and the immediate surrounds. As a grafted tree, it is more compact in size which makes it highly suitable for domestic landscapes. 

National Tree Day is Australia’s largest tree-planting and nature care event. Each year over 200,000 people take part in National Tree Day events at 3,000 sites organised by councils, schools and businesses alike across the country. Since Planet Ark launched National Tree Day in 1996, more than three million participants have planted 20 million native trees, shrubs and grasses.

The Green Industry has also been developing a wide range of research on the benefits of trees in our urban environments under 202020vision (www.202020vision.com.au). This initiative highlights the health, environmental and productivity benefits of green in our urban areas.

This year National Tree Day’s theme, “Get into Nature and Grow” focused on encouraging people to green up both their indoor and outdoor environments, as Australians spend more time inside.

If anyone would like to find out more about National Tree Day or Schools Tree Day, please visit treeday.planetark.org, call the Hotline on 1300 88 5000 or visit your local participating Toyota Dealership, a major sponsor of this years event.