MITCHELL Shire Council will host a community planting day in Kilmore to celebrate National Tree Day on Sunday.
Council has participated in National Tree Day since 2001, planting more than 93,000 native grasses, shrubs and trees on council land and at local schools.
The Mitchell 2050 Community Vision identified nature as a key theme, with the community setting a goal that ‘our natural reserves will be home to a rich ecological system supporting our important native flora and fauna’.
To help achieve that goal, council will run its community planting day at Kilmore Creek near the Bourke Street bridge from 10am to noon on Sunday.
The event will include revegetation using indigenous grasses, groundcovers, shrubs and trees, aiming to enhance habitats including those of the platypus and rakali found in the waterway.
Native plants will also replace recently removed weed trees species.
Mitchell Shire Mayor Bill Chisholm said all community members were welcome to join the planting day, encouraging them to bring suitable footwear and gloves. He said all participants would receive a packet of Australian native wildflowers to take home.
“Connecting with nature is not only great for the improving the local environment but good for human health as well,” he said.
“Plants contribute to fresh air, shade and shelter. There is a direct link between increased tree canopy cover in urban areas and the health of people living in those areas.
“I encourage everyone to find a National Tree Day event near them and help to improve their town for the plants, animals and people that call it home.”
Several community groups have also registered National Tree Day events, including Dabyminga Landcare’s Reedy Creek planting day and Seymour Urban Landcare’s Whiteheads Creek planting event.
Mitchell Shire Libraries will also support National Tree Day with nature-themed rhyme and story times at all libraries starting Monday, with participants also receiving a packet of native Australian wildflower seeds.
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