On Saturday 24th August 2024, Greater Sydney Landcare hosted a Creating Canopies community planting day on a private property in scenic Kurrajong, in the Hawkesbury LGA. 45 volunteers arrived full of enthusiasm to help us install 2,500 native trees and shrubs plus 300 native grasses.
The owner of the land, Michael Neill, had reached out to Greater Sydney Landcare to take part in the Creating Canopies project. Creating Canopies is currently planting hundreds of thousands of trees across Greater Sydney to help reduce the urban heat island effect in the future.
Michael was frustrated with constantly having to mow a large section of his property, which had been cleared long ago. We were more than happy to work with Michael to reintroduce native plants that belonged there instead.
Michaelβs property featured three different plant community types, including Blue Mountains Low Healthy Woodland, Sydney Hinterland Grey Mrytle Riparian Forest and Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest. Species that volunteers helped install on the day were drawn from these plant community types.
Our amazing volunteers planted gum trees (eucalypts and angophora) and turpentine, small trees including wattles (acacias), melaleucas and Lilly Pilly. Flowering shrubs were also planted to encourage bird life including hakeas, bottlebrush (callistemon), native Coffee Bush, and Tick Bush. They will also enhance the propertyβs natural beauty with their seasonal blooms.
The sun shone down on our keen group, who enjoyed the perfect spring-like day and the warm 27-degree weather. Lots of fresh air and exercise was had by all as the planting site involved a very large hill and skirting around a dam. Β
Creating Canopies Project Manager Danielle Packer and Project Officer Alicia Harb-Akins ran the day, supported by two contractors from Dragonfly Environmental. The team made sure that the volunteers planted lots of water tolerant species around the dam to reduce erosion, improve water quality, and encourage back amphibian life and other fauna.
A well-earned lunch of sandwiches and cookies gave volunteers a bit of their energy back, and provided a moment to relax and reflect on the impressive progress made during the day. A huge effort was given by all to restore this land with native vegetation. Β Β Β
Thank you to Michael Neill for volunteering his property for increased canopy cover and thank you to all the volunteers who made the journey and gave their time to be part of this planting day.
Volunteer for Bushcare in the Hawkesbury
If youβd like to contribute to environmental efforts in the Hawkesbury LGA, you can become a Bushcare volunteer and regenerate bushland. No experience is necessary as training is provided.
Get Involved in Creating Canopies
If youβd 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 Landcareβs Eventbrite page.
Find out more about Corporate Volunteering with Greater Sydney Landcare here. Be sure to download our Corporate Volunteering Info Pack.
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.
