Dig deep for National Tree Day

Lower Burdekin Landcare and Burdekin Shire Council are inviting locals to help them plant 300 new trees for National Tree Day Sunday 28 July.

Volunteers will be planting out the area near the new Lower Burdekin Landcare building between Cox Street and International Road, Ayr from 8:30am – 11:30am.

Burdekin Shire Council Deputy Mayor Sue Perry encouraged residents of all ages to get involved with the event.

“National Tree Day is a great way for the wider community to support Lower Burdekin Landcare in the important work they do to enhance biodiversity in the shire,” she said.

“It’s also an opportunity for residents to make some new friends and have fun helping make a difference to the local environment.

“Gloves are provided but we’re encouraging everyone who comes along to bring a hat, closed in shoes and water to drink.”

Lower Burdekin Landcare Chair Keith Kiloh said the group had been working hard on the new site for the past year.

“We’re excited to be sharing National Tree Day with the public and to showcase the hard work of our members in setting up our nursery,” he said.

“Everyone is welcome to come have a look and chat with our nurserymen, who are more than happy to share their expertise.”

Mr Kiloh said residents were also encouraged to take advantage of the group’s ongoing Neem tree replacement program.

“One of our key objectives as a group is to eradicate the Neem weed from the district.

“Neem is a problem because it has the ability to create a mono-culture. It seeds very heavily and the conditions here are just ideal for it to flourish.

“Residents can bring in a sample from their garden and we will replace it with a native tree from our nursery free of charge.”

Planet Ark launched National Tree Day in 1996 and since then more than 4 million volunteers have planted more than 25 million trees.