What is National Tree Day

National Tree Day and Schools Tree Day provide all Australians with an opportunity to do something positive for the environment and reconnect with nature.

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 thousands of sites organised by councils, schools, businesses and  communities  across the country.

Participation in National Tree Day is fun, community-focused and helps Australians to make a difference within their community and address important environmental issues like the loss of habitat for native wildlife, soil salinity, erosion and long-term carbon offsetting, as well as being good for individual and community health.

Aussies are spending more and more time inside and in front of a screen, disconnected from the natural world, but research from here and overseas show there are real health and wellbeing benefits associated with spending time outside and in contact with nature.

“National Tree Day is a call-to-action for all Australians to Get Outside and Grow, for their own health and that of the environment.

Environmental benefits

National Tree Day aims to inspire, educate and recruit Australians to actively care for our unique land and create future generations of committed environmental custodians:

• Supporting native animals: birds, bats, possums, bees and snails and other wildlife, in many cases these are in decline or endangered (eg woodland birds in general are in decline across Australia and some, such as the Regent Honeyeater, are in danger of becoming extinct).
• Helping to combat salinity.
• Improving water quality in a stream thus promoting aquatic life (Trees for Fish!).
• Preventing soil erosion.
• Helping to save an endangered animal from extinction.
• Providing a buffer zone to reduce the impact on sensitive areas of native habitat.
• Providing clean fresh air.
• Increasing rainfall by releasing water vapour (through transpiration) and fine particles such as pollen, which are required to seed rain drops.
• Securing our food resources: around one-third of our food comes from plants that rely on native pollinators such as insects!
• Providing a green corridor that connects up existing remnants of bushland.

How you can get involved

Be part of the country’s largest community tree planting and nature-care event. Join thousands of community groups, sport clubs, faith groups and families, in making a difference to your community, fostering a love of nature and creating positive environmental change.

National Tree Day is organised by Planet Ark in partnership with Toyota and Whyalla City Council, which provides on the ground support at local community tree planting sites Australia wide, including Whyalla.

To find out more about National Tree Day, call Whyalla City Council on 86403444 or visit http://treeday.planetark.org/