DIARY NOTE FOR EDITORS - June 20, 2024
Established in 1996, National Tree Day has grown into Australia's largest community tree planting and nature care event. The program is a call to action for all Australians to get their hands dirty and give back to their community. Since 1996, over 27 million trees have been planted around the country by more than 5 million volunteers.
This year, Planet Ark is asking Australians to connect with nature and their community on National Tree Day as the campaign seeks to plant a million native trees, shrubs and grasses in support of Australia’s natural environment and the communities that rely on it.
Key information on this year’s campaign is outlined below:
Dates:
- Schools Tree Day – July 26, 2024
- National Tree Day – July 28, 2024
Key themes:
- Planting hope – engaging with nature through pro-environmental behaviours provides an opportunity to combat climate distress in younger Australians by giving hope for the future and helping people feel they are part of the solution.
- Addressing the threat – tree planting is an action that can help support threatened plant species, which make up the overwhelming majority (>70 per cent) of Australia’s threatened species while receiving significantly less conservation resources.
- A quarter century of care – Since 1999, Toyota Australia have made an invaluable contribution to the planting of over 27 million native trees, shrubs and grasses by millions of Australians in schools and communities across the country as major sponsor of the program.
Key activities:
- Tree planting and nature care events hosted by schools, councils and community groups around the country.
- Educational resources for schools including activity sheets, lesson plans and the National Tree Day Schools Competition.
- The Seedling Bank program, which provides financial support to National Tree Day volunteers for planting activities. Funding has been provided to 224 schools and community groups to date, resulting in 117,000 seedlings planted. This year another 127 groups will plant over 50,000 seedlings.
- Research providing information on the benefits of trees for the environment and people’s health and wellbeing.
How schools, councils, community groups and members of the public can get involved:
- Find and volunteer at a National Tree Day planting site in your area - https://treeday.planetark.org/find-a-site/.
- Become a National Tree Day coordinator and host a site of your own at home, work, school or in the community - https://treeday.planetark.org/get-involved/involved-general.
- Plant a native at home and pledge it to the National Tree Day tally -
- Donate to The Seedling Bank to support community-led environmental projects across Australia - https://treeday.planetark.org/donate/.
- Check out the range of online resources to support planting events, including how to guides, posters, certificates, social tiles and relevant paperwork - https://treeday.planetark.org/toolkit/.
- Find out more about the National Tree Day program - https://treeday.planetark.org/.
About us:
About Planet Ark
Planet Ark Environmental Foundation is an Australian not-for-profit organisation with a vision of a world where people live in balance with nature. Established in 1992, it is one of Australia’s leading environmental behaviour change organisations with a focus on working collaboratively and positively. Planet Ark promotes and creates simple, positive environmental actions – for everyone.
Contact details:
For further information on events near you, interviews with Planet Ark spokespeople or audio-visual materials please contact:
Liam Taylor
Head of Communications
02 8484 7205 / 0449 530 525
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Jennifer McMillan
Communications Manager
0421 031 369
