National Tree Day – Sunday 29th July
National Tree Day is Australia’s largest tree-planting and nature care event.
National Tree Day is Australia’s biggest community tree-planting and nature care event. Co-ordinated by Planet Ark and proudly sponsored by Toyota, these are special days for all Australians to help out by planting and caring for native trees and shrubs to improve the environment in which they live.
Tree Day is an opportunity for you to do something positive for your community and the environment by reconnecting with nature. National Tree Day started in 1996 and since then more than 3.8 million people have planted 24 million trees and plants and it’s still growing.
When is National Tree Day?
The dates for 2018 are:
- Schools Tree Day Friday 27th July 2018
- National Tree Day Sunday 29th July 2018
What is National Tree Day?
National Tree Day and Schools Tree Day combine to make Australia’s largest community tree planting and nature care event.
Environmental Benefits
National Tree Day aims to inspire, educate and recruit Australians to actively care for our unique land and create future generations of committed environmental custodians.
Health Benefits
Planet Ark’s research demonstrates the benefits of interaction with nature for children’s health, wellbeing and development.
Sponsorship Partners
The continued support of National Tree Day sponsor Toyota has ensured the ongoing success of National Tree Day.
How you can get involved
Be part of the country’s largest community tree planting and nature-care event. Join thousands of community groups, sport clubs, faith groups and families, in making a difference to your community, fostering a love of nature and creating positive environmental change.
If you need a little help getting started or want to get set up quickly, call the National Tree Day Hotline on 1300 88 5000
At Home
Planet Ark research shows that for every hour Australians spend on outdoor leisure activity we spend 7 hours in front of the TV or computer. The research also shows that our backyards are shrinking and the smaller our backyards, the less time we spend outdoors.
So this year for National Tree Day we’re inviting you to participate at home – in your own backyard or on your balcony- as well as in your community. All you need to do is: decide on what and where you want to plant; get and put the plants in the soil; and register your activities with us. You can plant native trees, shrubs or grasses to help support biodiversity or an edible garden. Kids especially love to get their hands dirty and it is a great learning activity for them to see how plants and food grow.
At School
Each year, around 3,000 preschools, kindergartens, primary and high schools across Australia take part in Schools Tree Day. Students nationwide have learnt how to dig in for the environment and have fun getting grubby planting over 470,000 native seedlings, trees, shrubs, edibles and flowers. More than 2,800 other nature-care activities were registered (projects such as bushwalks or classroom lessons).
Schools Tree Day can mark the beginning of a long-term environmental program, and is a reminder of the importance of nature in our daily lives and is a call-to-action for educators to introduce nature-care activities, outdoor learning, and fun, healthy environmental programs into the day-to-day experience of our children to help them grow.
Schools Tree Day 2018 will be held on Friday July 27th, although events can be held at any time during the year. Events are generally held on school grounds during a school day. It could be practical planting or nature care projects in the school playground or lessons and activities in the classroom.
The dedicated Planet Ark team are on hand to help your school or early learning centre make the most of your special event by providing: How to guides, easy and engaging learning resources, case studies and promotional materials such as posters, certificates and activity sheets.
At Work
Research released by Planet Ark shows that Australians are willing to give up an average of $3,674* pay to be able to work in a more natural workplace but 28% of workers can’t see any natural features from their workspace. It also shows that having plants around the office helps workers recover from tiredness more quickly, reduces the presence of airborne bacteria and increases productivity.
National Tree Day is a great opportunity for workplaces to bring a bit more nature into the workplace or to encourage staff to get outside. Activities could include:
- Planting trees in the garden
- Hosting a green morning or afternoon tea
- Giving staff plants for their desks or to take home
To learn more about National Tree Day Click here >