On Wednesday 23rd October 2024, a dedicated team of six volunteers from Revolution Asset Management rolled up their sleeves and joined Greater Sydney Landcare’s Creating Canopies project for a hands-on day of corporate volunteering.
Set on a beautiful private property along Cattai Creek in Annangrove, the day was all about planting trees, supporting local biodiversity, and giving back to the environment.
This special site, a designated Land for Wildlife property, is managed by its owner, Nora, who is committed to preserving and enhancing its habitat for native species. Excitingly, environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis has confirmed that platypuses inhabit the creek, underscoring the site’s importance as a refuge for native wildlife.
Investing in a Greener Future
Under the guidance of Greater Sydney Landcare’s Danielle Packer, Bryce Doyle, and Alicia Harb-Akins of Creating Canopies and Eli Stead from the Southwest Sydney Koala Project, the Revolution Asset Management volunteers set to work planting 400 native trees and shrubs along the creek bank.
These new plants will eventually provide essential shade and cooling to reduce urban heat and will improve habitat quality in the area.
Planting along the banks also serves another critical function: helping to stabilise the soil and prevent erosion. This is particularly beneficial for the resident platypus population, which relies on stable creek banks to create their burrows. These burrows serve as shelters for resting, nesting, hiding from predators, and seeking refuge from extreme temperatures.
To maximise the environmental benefit, the Creating Canopies team selected native species well-suited to the area. Revolution Asset Management planted a variety of gum trees (Angophoras and Eucalypts), paperbarks (Melaleucas), wattles (Acacia), Blueberry Ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus), she-oaks (Allocasuarinas), Lilly Pilly (Acmena smithii), myrtles (Backhousia myrtifolia), and Cheese Tree (Glochidion ferdinandi).
These species will not only support soil health and stability but also foster biodiversity by providing food, shelter, and nesting sites for native wildlife.
Swapping Laptops for Gardening Gloves
As the team worked, they were treated to sightings of local wildlife, including small native birds and even a kingfisher—a reminder of the area’s rich biodiversity.
To protect the new plants from browsing feral deer, Revolution Asset Management volunteers also installed wallaby guards, ensuring that their efforts will have long-lasting impact.
Nora, the property owner, was delighted to have this support for her conservation efforts and even joined in the planting, making it a true team effort in creating a more resilient environment.
Thank You to All Involved
A huge thank you to the Revolution Asset Management team for all their excellent work on the day and Nora for volunteering her land for increased canopy cover.
Volunteer for Bushcare in the Hills
If you’d like to contribute to environmental efforts in the Hills, you can become a Bushcare volunteer and regenerate bushland. No experience is necessary as training is provided.
Corporate Volunteering with Greater Sydney Landcare
Find out more about Corporate Volunteering with Greater Sydney Landcare here. Be sure to download our Corporate Volunteering Info Pack.
Get Involved in Creating Canopies
If you’d like to find out how to get free trees planted on your land, visit our Register Your Site for Trees page.
Come along and plant trees with Creating Canopies. Find out what events we have coming up on Greater Sydney Landcare’s Eventbrite page.
About Creating Canopies
Landcare NSW and Greater Sydney Landcare are planting 200,000 trees as part of the Greening our City program to help reduce urban heat in Greater Sydney. Proudly funded by the NSW Government.
