Planting Trees for the Queen’s Jubilee
Earlier this year the Office of the local Federal Member of Parliament, the Hon Ged Kearney, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Federal Member for Cooper informed NCAT of a Federal Grant Program for the planting of trees to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. The College applied for the grant and as a result received a grant to plant approximately 100 small to medium sized Australian native trees. The planting of the trees was completed over the September holidays.
Plaque Unveiled by Ged Kearney, Federal Member for Cooper
A plaque to mark the Australian Government’s Tree Planting Program to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was unveiled on November 3,2022 by the Hon, Ged Kearney.
She said, “This planting benefit the local area with important native flora and offer a lovely tree canopy in the future. I am so pleased to have attended its unveiling and look forward seeing the landscape flourish.”
Benefits for Local Flora and Fauna
The College Principal, Raffaela Galati-Brown, said that with the Queen passing away the Tree Planting project had special significance. “Planting trees, particularly native trees, is vital to our natural environment and helps to address climate change. It is also honours and celebrates the Queen’s life. Our students, our community and our bird and insect life will benefit from the trees for many years to come.”
Martin De Boerr, NCAT Maintenance Coordinator, has counted up to 26 different types of birds at the college. These include the Australian Kestrel, Rainbow Lorikeet, Sacred Kingfisher and the Little Corella. With the increased numbers of trees this number will increase. As the trees grow, they will provide for more nesting opportunities and their flowering will attract more insects and local birds.
The tree planting was done by Summit Landscape Consultants. George Cotsonis, the owner of the company, is also the coach of the Preston Bullants Football Team. His apprentice, Felix Morgan Styant-Brown, is a former NCAT student. Felix enjoys his apprenticeship and studies at Melbourne Polytechnic.
This project received funding from the Australian Government’s Planting Trees for The Queen’s Jubilee Program.
