National Tree Day - Trees For Life

The 31st of July is National Tree Day a community tree planting event from Planet Ark. Locally, we talked to South Australian not-for-profit group Trees for Life to find out more about their Bushcare volunteering events and also their Trees for Habitat program, creating habitat for the endangered Malleefowl.

Bushcare volunteering

Interested in bushland, want a nice day out with like-minded people and  no obligation?

Come and try Bushcare volunteering! It’s beneficial to your health and wellbeing and makes a big difference to nature. If you want to join us for small group activities (Bush Action Teams) in a range of bush locations, give Trees For Life a call on 8406 0500.

All activities are supervised by our highly skilled Regional Coordinators. We provide equipment, safety gear and guidance for the task at hand. And we offer both half day and whole day activities, called Bush Action Teams (BATs), or mini-Bush Action Teams (mini-BATs). Upcoming events include July 29 at Aldgate and August 18 at Echunga. For more dates and locations log onto: http://www.treesforlife.org.au/bushland/workshops-and-events/come-try-bush-care-activity-first

Give to help the endangered Malleefowl

In less than 200 years, an estimated 73 species have become extinct in South Australia.

At the state level, more than 1000 species are now listed as threatened under South Australia's National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. Nationally, around 200 South Australian plant and animal species are listed as threatened under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

There are also 139 ecosystem types across the country that have lost more than 70% of their original extent.

While this might all sound a bit depressing, if some of these ecosystems could be restored by up to 30% of their original extent, they will have a better chance of surviving in the long term.

And this is where Trees For Life – and YOU – can help.

Trees For Life, a not-for-profit South Australian environmental group, has a ‘Trees For Habitat’ program which helps revegetate degraded land, providing vital food and shelter for native animals.

When people purchase ‘Gift of Trees’ certificates for loved ones – or simply donate to this program -  seedlings are planted in project areas for the creation of important habitat.

The Trees For Habitat project area recently started at Monarto South in the Ferries McDonald-Monarto conservation park areas.

The parks, located approximately 13km southwest of Murray Bridge, are home to a small and isolated population of Malleefowl. This population however, is under threat from predation from foxes and cats and through fragmentation of their habitat.

Trees For Life’s aim is to reconstruct habitat and wildlife corridors between the conservation parks, thus creating habitat for the endangered Malleefowl.

A number of concerned local landholders and action groups are also working hard to protect the Malleefowl habitat, and Trees For Life’s work will enhance existing on-ground works.

You can help protect the endangered Malleefowl by contributing to Trees For Life’s Trees For Habitat Program. Phone (08) 8406 0500 or visit www.treesforlife.org.au