Tree Planting with Birdlife Australia

May 2021 – Adrienne Hunt reports on tree planting for Birdlife Australia

Birdlife Australia provides opportunities for the public to participate in birdlife conservation projects, such as planting trees for specific bird species: https://www.birdlife.org.au/

I joined in with tree planting for the endangered Regent Honeyeater (April 30^th – May 2^nd 2021), on a pleasant autumn day in the magnificent Capertee Valley (the world’s second-widest Canyon- between Lithgow and Mudgee), on a private pastoral property.  There was an enthusiastic collective of more than 140 people of all ages, including 28 young people, under the auspices of the Taronga Zoo – Youth at the Zoo (YATZ) program.  We set-to with digging implements, and made light work of the planting of tubestock into prepared shallow trenches, which was completed by the early afternoon of the 1^st May, including the watering in.  

We planted more than 2500 baby trees of 30 different species that had been selected as the ideal habitat trees for the Regent Honeyeater, with the expert guidance of Dick Turner – Consultant Forester and bird life enthusiast. 

What at first glance had presented as a daunting and potentially back-breaking task, proved to be an enjoyable and rejuvenating minor workout in an outdoor setting. A positive, cooperative, contributing experience as a counterpoint to the extractive, negative and destructive thrusts of our governmental decision makers. 

Congratulations to Birdlife Australia and all who facilitated this endeavour.