Branching out to people

By Dion Teasdale
A COLDSTREAM resident has embarked on an ambitious global enterprise which he hopes will see one billion trees planted in his lifetime.
Conservationist Kurt van Wijck has devised a community-based tree-planting project that aims to benefit disadvantaged members of the community as much as the natural environment.
“My goal is to plant one billion native trees, shrubs and grasses, or cause one billion to be planted, in my lifetime,” he said.
“The idea is to have teams of volunteers planting native plants in the gardens of the elderly and the disabled and in other areas of need.”
Mr van Wijck, who has been actively involved in a wide range of local tree-planting projects, said this new initiative was unique.
“My plan to plant one billion trees in the most-needed areas of the community has a huge social aspect to it,” he said.
“The idea is as much about social interaction and community building as it is about the environmental benefits.”
So far Mr van Wijck said he had already been involved in planting 3000 trees, grasses and shrubs for the project.
“With a team of volunteers, I’ve been able to plant about 800 trees a day on average,” he said.
“At that rate, we’ll have to plant 800 trees a day, every day for the next 3500 years.”
Mr van Wijck said he had enlisted the support of the Shire of Yarra Ranges and was speaking to environment groups about being involved.
“So far I’ve had a very positive response from people and though the idea needs some fine-tuning, I’m confident I can make it work,” he said.
Mr van Wijck said he hoped to get the project up and running within the Shire of Yarra Ranges but hoped it could be expanded beyond his local environment.
Shire of Yarra Ranges biodiversity conservation coordinator, Simon Denby, said the initiative was admirable and that the shire was keen to get involved.
“This is a commendable and very ambitious idea and the shire hopes to give Kurt as much support as it can,” he said.