Projects

(Scroll down to see photos.)

Since 1997, Greenfleet has planted more than three million native trees on behalf of individual motorists and organisations - see Our Supporters. 

Greenfleet's policy is to plant trees to create forests in areas of environmental concern, putting back the mix of native species that had been there originally. The trees are propagated from seed collected in the local area to provide maximum ecological benefits - reducing salinity and soil erosion, and providing essential habitat for native species. The majority of our plantings occur in the wetter seasons because the rains help to get the trees off to a good start.

Download our Environmental Policy information sheet (62 KB PDF)
 
It is expected that Greenfleet will continue to grow quickly over the next few years. We have been evaluating our processes and operations to ensure we are ‘Kyoto compliant', so that we have the ability to measure the carbon uptake from our trees to emerging international standards.

Currently we plant trees in Victoria,  Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia (we are currently seeking sites in Tasmania for 2008). We have also planted in the ACT in the past, however current drought conditions have prevented planting in the ACT for the past few years.  

Murray Darling Rescue
Our largest tree planting project is Murray Darling Rescue. This is an ongoing partnership between Greenfleet and Scouts Australia, with annual plantings in NSW, Vic, SA and the ACT. The Murray Darling provides 41% of Australia's gross agricultural production, yet vast areas are seriously under threat from rising salinity. The project aims to help bring life back to the once 'Mighty Murray' by planting millions of native trees. More about Murray Darling Rescue.
 
Sponsor - Murray Darling Rescue
We would like to thank to GM Holden for their invaluable support. Since 2001, GM Holden has been the national sponsor of Murray Darling Rescue, providing financial assistance, as well as the use of a Rodeo 4WD to assist at plantings and to help provide ongoing maintenance of the trees.
 
 
STATE BY STATE:
 
Victoria
In 2002, the Victorian Government signed a three year contract with Greenfleet to plant 250,000 trees to offset emissions from VicFleet vehicles. We are working closely with the Australian Greenhouse Office and the Victorian Greenhouse Policy Unit to establish clear measurement of the carbon uptake of these trees. Across Victoria, Greenfleet bio-diversity forests are growing with over 1,115,000 trees planted on behalf of Victorian motorists and fleets.

Australian Capital Territory
In Dec 2003, the ACT Government (Office of Sustainability) signed the Territory Government fleet, offsetting the greenhouse emissions from their 1,114 vehicles.  We have planted over 100,000 trees so far on behalf of ACT motorists and fleets, however drought conditions have prevented us from planting in the ACT since 2005.  We will continue to target sites in the ACT that are of ecological concern once conditions improve.

Queensland
In 2002, the Queensland Government became Greenfleet's largest supporter with the signing of their entire fleet of government vehicles to our program. To date more than 355,000 trees have been planted on behalf of QFleet. Our total forest revegetation program in south east Queensland comprises over 430,000 trees, which will create more than 400 hectares of native habitat.  

South Australia
The Murray Darling Rescue project in South Australia (with Scouts SA) has planted over 111,000 trees in the state so far on behalf of South Australian motorists and fleets.

New South Wales
The bulk of our tree planting in NSW has been in the Murray River catchment. We have planted some 579,000 trees in the state so far on behalf of motorists and fleets in New South Wales. In Jan 2004 and Jan 2005, NRMA’s Open Road magazine included articles about Greenfleet. This has been an enormous help in raising awareness about our program in NSW. Merrick & Rosso on Sydney radio Nova 969 have been terrific supporters, with a week-long membership drive in 2004 and an update in 2005.

Western Australia
In August 2004, we conducted our first planting in WA thanks to Telstra, Millenium Chemicals, Bassendean City Council and new individual subscribers in the west.  40,000 trees have been planted at Gardiner and Beverley, southeast of Perth.

June 2007

Brinkley, SA

More than 600 scouts and other eager volunteers kicked off the 2007 Murray Darling Rescue planting season by planting 17,000 trees in Brinkley, SA, on the weekend of
23-24 June. 

The planting, near Wellington on the Murray River, is expected to deliver significant benefits for the local community and the environment, particularly bird life of the internationally recognised Ramsar wetland site in the region.

Goolwa to Wellington Local Action Planning Group (LAP) Project Officer, Jem Tesoriero said "this is an extremely important planting that will transform a degraded farming property into a large area of high quality habitat for a range of animal and bird life, including the nationally endangered Orange-bellied Parrot."

This project demonstrates that great achievements come from great partnerships...

• Greenfleet provided the trees, funded by South Australian motorists and organisations
• Scouts Australia and other eager volunteers provide the necessary arms and legs to plant the tubestock
• Goolwa to Wellington LAP help out with planning, site preparation, seed collection and provision of the understorey plants
• SA Government funded the understorey plants and the site preparation, and
• GM Holden continues its national sponsorhip of Murray Darling Rescue

top

August 2006

Our 2006 Murray Darling Rescue planting in Victoria saw hundreds of Scouts converge on five sites between Seymour and Yea. A total of 40,000 trees were planted on the weekend.

Seymour is a railway town and in the 1800s the hills were cleared for railway sleepers and for timber to be used in Melbourne. Local Landcare co-ordinator, Janet Hagen, explained that the area is "desperately in need of putting trees back". 

"Whitehead's Creek now has one of the highest salt loads in the Goulburn River, which flows into the Murray," Janet says. The theme for Murray Darling Rescue is 'Halt the Salt' - the new trees will help to lower the water table and reduce the amount of salt that flows downstream.

It is hoped that the Striped Legless Lizard (endangered), bandicoots, and many of the insect eating birds, such as robins, will be attracted back by the new trees.

Cubs from 1st Reservoir Scouts, Tylor, Caitlyn, Quinn and Brenton, said proudly that this was the third year that they'd taken part in the Murray Darling Rescue plantings. Asked for his thoughts about the weekend, Peter said: "I feel excited to get tree planting, I just feel great getting down and dirty!" Murray Darling Rescue is held each year in Vic, NSW, SA and the ACT.

top

July 2005

Launch of Greenfleet's 'Race to 5000'

Not a tree planting, but a promotion to help generate more awareness about our program! In July, motor racing legend Peter Brock and Victorian Minister for the Environment John Thwaites launched Greenfleet’s ‘Race to 5000’, when they drove a convertible Holden Astra laden with trees into Melbourne's Federation Square. Peter Brock and the Government are encouraging motorists to sign up to Greenfleet this year and do their bit to protect our environment and our climate. See July 2005 media release.

top

June 2005

Our annual Murray Darling Rescue project began for 2005 at Point Sturt in South Australia (next will be NSW, Vic, and the ACT). Greenfleet's forester, Jackie Waring describes the South Australian planting, which was held on the weekend of June 25 & 26:

"After a relatively slow start on the Saturday, 500 Scouts and their families arrived at once on the Sunday," says Jackie. "It was staggering how fast they got the trees in the ground. After three hours they had planted about 20,000 trees – you could literally see the white tree guards filling up the hillside."

"The Scouts set up a temporary 'township' on site for the two days, with fantastic facilities and enormous tents. There was music going all day with a dedicated DJ - the atmosphere was a buzz!"

"Greenfleet has been working with Scouts on the Murray Darling Rescue project since 2001, and there's a great spirit of partnership. We have radios on site and we’re always talking throughout the day, and have early starts together – on site at 6am, sorting the seedlings. There's a real community mood, everyone's really friendly and very positive."

Point Sturt is divided into different vegetation zones. "Parts of Point Sturt is a coastal wetland, a very sensitive area. It's a mix of coastal forest, woodland and wetland," says Jackie. "We planted a very large range of different species, to match the various zones."

top

May 2005

Revegetation efforts at Jack Smith Lake State Game Reserve are receiving a boost, thanks to Greenfleet and local Scouts.

On Sunday 22nd May, forty Scouts from the 1^st Traralgon Group took part in a planting at Jack Smith Lake Reserve near Woodside, SE Victoria. “It was an incredible effort by the Scouts, who planted one thousand trees on Sunday,” says Greenfleet forester Jackie Waring. “The site is very dry which meant that each seedling had to be watered in. The Scouts did a terrific job planting and watering every tree with help from Parks Victoria's water tanker,” she says.

A total of 20,000 trees will be planted here, providing new habitat for the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Swamp Wallaby and Common Wombat that shelter within these woodlands.

The partnership between Greenfleet and Parks Victoria will provide a boost for the 2,500 Ha Reserve, where cleared sections of the park are being regenerated with coastal woodland species. “We’ve been working very hard for the last eight years trying to revegetate the area,” says Ranger Ross Williamson. “This new project will help to provide better shelter for all the native wildlife.”

top

September 2004

How the trees have grown!

TREE UPDATE: Our forester Jackie Waring is pictured here during a site inspection in September 2004. She is standing in front of an Ironbark Eucalypt, one of 66,000 trees planted at Killawarra (north-east Victoria) in 1998. These trees are now over ten metres tall.

The Killawarra Forest was extensively cleared last century to fuel Melbourne factories with charcoal.

Thanks to our subscribers, we're delighted to say that this regenerated forest is now home to resident marsupials. While checking the trees, Jackie and Dennis spotted two koalas there: "We were thrilled when this koala (pictured)  wandered just in front of us and climbed up into a remnant Grey Box Eucalypt."

top

July/August 2004

Murray Darling Rescue - NSW & Vic

Our 2004 NSW Murray Darling Rescue planting began in July at Wagga Wagga when 350 Scouts planted 12,000 trees on behalf of our subscribers. Of significance to our annual plantings in this area is that the South West Slopes of NSW are the most fragmented and cleared bioregion of NSW. This area is the habitat of the now threatened Superb Parrot - it is estimated that numbers may be as low as 200, and the planting of trees over the 3/4 July weekend will provide much needed habitat. 

Victoria - Our forester arrived back from the Victorian planting in August, and reported that the Scouts had made an 'awesome' effort [as always!] Hundreds of Scouts had arrived from all over Victoria to plant 22,000 trees on a property east of Wodonga.

The Squirrel Glider Possum and the Brush-tailed Phascogale are now listed as threatened following depletion of their habitat, and the trees planted here will have a direct and positive impact on the future of these marsupials.

The Scout pictured here is holding a 'Pottiputki', a professional tree planting tool.

top

May 2004

Strzelecki Lyrebird Project - Victoria

Greenfleet has been working for the past five years with South Gippsland Water in Victoria to help establish a wildlife corridor for the Lyrebird. The species was once prolific across South Gippsland but is now in decline because of land clearing. Thanks to subscriptions from the Victorian Government and Monash University, we've planted more than 40,000 trees as part of this project.

In May 2004, local Scouts and Cubs converged on the property to help plant another 10,000 trees at Battery Creek Reservoir. This was followed by a planting team from The Brotherhood of St Laurence Green Corps program (pictured left), working with Greenfleet as part of a 'Youth for the Environment' training course in Conservation & Land Management.

top

September 2003

Murray Darling Rescue - Canberra ACT

 

 

 

 

Above: Scouts and the local community in action, Wagga Wagga NSW
Below: That's a lot of trees! 80,000 of our subscribers' trees arrive on site at Kywanna, NSW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above: The Greenfleet team at the end of the day in South Australia

top

October 2002

One Million Trees

In a major milestone, Greenfleet planted our one millionth tree in the southern Brisbane suburb of Runcor in October 2002. Ninety school children from St Lawrence School planted 500 trees in Bulimba Creek, learned about transport and the environemnt and also played 'The Sky Game', an enviornmental education program. The planting was part of this year's fleet offset program with ENERGEX, which has been an outstanidng partner with Greenfleet in Queensland over the past three years.

 

top

Murray Darling Rescue 2002

Greenfleet would like to congratulate Holden, Scouts Victoria, Scouts SA, Scouts NSW, Scouts ACT, Sheree Marris (2002 Young Australian of the Year Environment), landholders, local councils, Landcare groups, thousands of scouts and members of the community for the successful planting of nearly 200,000 trees in the Murray Darling Basin for Murray River Rescue 2002.

top

Pullen Pullen 2002

120 school children joined QFleet and Greenfleet to plant 7,000 native trees at Pinjarra Hills, in Brisbane's western suburbs.

QFleet general manager Les Clarence said the tree planting is a long-term initiative that will see multiple benefits from clean air to the restoration of native habitats.

 

By signing up all 12,600 state government vehicles to the Greenfleet initiative, about 214,000 trees will be planted over coming months in new forests throughout southern Queensland.

 

        

top

October 2000

 The first trees are planted in the ACT at Namadgi

In October 2000 Greenfleet completed the planting and guarding of 15,000 native trees in Namadgi National Park to soak up CO 2 emissions for ACT motorists.
Unfortumately most of the plantings were done with professional planters as there was so much rain we had to cancel the community planting with 100 kids from Mawson and Farrer Primary schools, as well as delegates from the Australian Youth Parliament for the Environment Eco-Civics Group. This planting was supported by the Gudgenby Bush Regeneration Group and ACT Parks and Conservation Service.

Strzelecki Lyrbird Project

75 kids from Foster Primary School planted 3,000 trees at the 'Old Railway Station' site outside Fish Creek, VIC. This was the first part of a commitment to plant 10,000 trees to launch the Strezlecki Lyrebird Project. Lyrebirds have survived in a small colony on private land and a neighboring coastal reserve at Waratah Bay. Until the 1950’s these exquisite birds were widespread in South Gippsland, but with clearing of native vegetation and establishment of grazing land for agriculture, only isolated
fragments of habitat now survive. Isolation dooms them to extinction unless action is taken to strategically re-link habitat with other lyrebird colonies in the Strzelecki Ranges.
This tree planting is part of a coordinated plan to re-link the southern fall of the Strzelecki Ranges to the Cape Liptrap Peninsula. The area has regional importance for tourism and is widely recognised for its scenic landscape. It lies to the north of Wilsons Promontory National Park and is the catchment for internationally recognised RAMSAR wetlands.
This project is a cooperative effort involving private landholders and public land managers. The “Strzelecki Lyrebird Link Revegetation project” is an initiative of Greenfleet, and the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, and is supported by Greenhouse 2020 and South Gippsland Water. The trees will soak up the CO₂ emissions from fleet vehicles belonging to Monash University (450 cars) and City of Port Phillip (145 cars).

Framlingham Forest – ‘Koaladoors’

Greenfleet undertook its first direct seeding project along the Hopkins River near Warrnambool to support the Framlingham Forest. With the support of the Framlingham Aboriginal Trust and the Australian Koala Foundation we seeded an area of approximately 10 ha along the river. We also planted 1000 tubestock on the site that was sourced through the Ngalawoort Plant Nursery. The Framlingham Forest is being severly overbrowsed by Koalas because they have no where to go and there is not enough food there for them. What we are trying to do is build wildlife corridors or ‘Koaladoors’ to assist the forest which is suffering and the koalas.

top

September 2000

 NSW Motorists Support the Mighty Snowy

Students from Snowy Mountains Grammer and Jindabyne Public Schools planted the first 200 trees of the 20,000 trees that Greenfleet has returned around Lake Jindabyne. These trees were propagated from local seed by the Monaro Native Nursery in Bombala. In 1999 Greenfleet also planted 20,000 trees in the lower Snowy catchment near Bombala and Delegate. Greenfleet ’s partners in the Snowy Mountains project include the Department of Land & Water, the Snowy Mountains Authorityand Snowy Mountains Landcare Group.

VIC – Mt Macedon – Jeff & Sharon Bursic’s

Greenfleet worked with Clarkefield & Bolinda Primary Schools to plant & guard 1050 trees in a morning at theBursic’s home. Jeff & Sharon have been revegetating stretches of ‘No Name Creek’ for a couple of years and asked for our support, so we mobilised the troops and got the job done!

top

August 2000

 Bendigo – The mayor, the kids and the old gum tree

For the third year in a row Greenfleet decended upon Bendigo. On this particular site at Lockwood South stood a magnificent 600 year old Red Gum, silent sentinel to a time past when the local forests played host to a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Greenfleet partnered with Bendigo City Council and students from the Victorian Christian College and Kangaroo Flats Secondary College to plant 3,000 native trees. The Mayor of the Greater Bendigo City Council, Cr. Laurie Whelan was out on the day planting with the students.

Avon Richardson – More support for Lake Buloke

Greenfleet returned to the Avon Richardson Catchment and planted 22,500 trees on 6 different sites around Lake Buloke with professional planters.

top

June 2000

Southcorp Wines - Great Western VIC - 1100 trees

For the third year in a row Southcorp Wines has committed to offset its fleet and plant their trees at the winery based at Great Western in Victoria. This year it rained so hard that the Great Western Primary school had to cancel. We did however plant most of the trees with staff from Southcorp. The remainder of the trees were planted by the school the following week.

Royal Park - Melbourne VIC - 2125 trees

For the second year the City of Melbourne and Greenfleet planted trees in Royal Park to offset its vehicle fleet of 125 cars.

top

September 1999

Yass River, NSW 800 trees

As part of the action on Carbon Awareness Day 1999 the delegates from the AYPE convention got straight into it by planting the first 1000 trees from the signing of ANU's vehicle fleet to Greenfleet. The trees were planted along the banks of the Yass River at Sutton. Greenfleet partnered with Rivercare, Dept of land and Water - Yass and Landcare on this particular planting.

Cotton Tree Creek and Johnson Creek 4,446 trees

Taminik Water Reserve, Northeast Victoria 10,000 trees Greenfleet in partnership with Parks Victoria, the Delatite Shire, and Natural Resources & Environment planted the reserve as part of a wildlife corridor linking Lake Mokoan and the Warby Ranges. Local school children from Wangaratta, Benalla and as far as Beechworth particpated over three days to get a fantastic result.

Avon-Richardson Catchment, North Central Victoria 23,640 trees

Metamorphic Ridges Bendigo 9,500 trees

Using professional planters for this site in Bendigo in partnership with Glen and Ann Wilkins of Sedgwick (landowners) and the support of Natural Resources and Environment three ridges that were cleared, and were subject to a fire but never regenerated had 9,500 native trees restored in one day.

Snowy River, Monaro NSW 20,000 trees

In partnership with Landare Greenfleet worked with landholders in Bombala and Delegate to revegetate eroded gully's and establish wildlife corridors linking remnant vegetation.

top

August 1999

 Barwidgee Creek, Northeast Victoria 7,795 trees

top

July 1999

 SouthCorp Wines, Great Western 1000 trees

Greenfleet planted 1000 trees to cover Southcorp's fleet around their new dam with 50 students from the Great Western Primary School.

top

June 1999

 Royal Park, Melbourne 2,245 trees

The City of Melbourne signed their vehicle fleet and nominated to plant their trees at Royal Park. In partnership, we organised local schools from Melbourne and everyone had a great day out for World Environment Day.

Avon Richardson Catchment North Central Victoria 28,790 trees

Guards for these trees were made with milk cartons from schools in Melbourne and transported to Donald in North Central Victoria. This planting was supported by Tattersall's and Vic Roads fleets totalling more than 350 cars. Local schools, Scouts, Rotary and even the Mayor were on hand for this memorable planting.

Kelso Tip Bankstown NSW 3,570 trees

The Bankstown City Council signed their vehicle fleet of 210 cars and nominated to plant out an old tip site in their region.

top

May 1999

 Green Gully Reserve, Melbourne 1,700 trees

With the signing of Huntsman Chemical Companies fleet Greenfleet planted trees in partnership with Brimbank City Council, St Pauls Primary School, and the Friends of Taylos Creek.

Arbor Week, Bendigo 4,500 trees

Greenfleet worked with 11 schools in the Bendigo area to raise awareness about the importance of planting trees and provided an opportunity for them to take action by planting trees on their school grounds. We couldn't have done it without the support of Des Murphy from PAW 'Promoting Arbor Week'.

top

September 1998

 Killawarra Forest 66,000 trees

The Killawarra Forest was extensively cleared late last century to fuel Melbourne factories with charcoal. The foliage of the Box Ironbark provides food and habitat for the Regent Honeyeater, a bird whose numbers are decreasing rapidly from the loss of its natural habitat. These birds have to travel over 40km to Chiltern to find another concentrated source of Box Ironbark trees. With the support of Victorian motorists Greenfleet put back over 60,000 Box Ironbark trees into the Killawarra Forest.
Greenfleet is currently researching tree planting projects in South Australia, ACT and New South Wales. Stay tuned for more details.

top

July 1998

 Hurdle Creek, Norteast Victoria 33,340 trees

Greta Valley, Norteast Victoria 25,720 trees