Planet Ark is encouraging Australians to connect with nature and their local community for National Tree Day 2022 and do something positive for our future – plant a tree! Planet Ark co-CEO Rebecca Gilling said that the call-to-action comes with new research showing that eight out of ten Australians agree that planting trees is an important part of creating a more sustainable future. This reflects Australians’ understanding of their ability to make a difference through their own behaviour, with seven out of ten agreeing individual actions can have a positive impact on global environmental issues such as climate change.
“These results clearly show Australians want to have a positive impact on the environment and one of the simplest things we can do to support nature is to plant a tree,” Gilling commented “With that one small action you can help cool the climate, provide homes for native wildlife, and make your community a better place to live.”
Ms Gilling explained that the research was conducted on behalf of Planet Ark by Pollinate as part of The Pulse survey, a bi-annual quantitative study that measures environmental, social, and economic issues and concerns. The most significant findings included:
- 81% agree spending time in nature is good for physical and psychological wellbeing
- 74% agree planting trees is an important means of learning about our environment and how to care for it
- 69% agree spending time in nature increases their desire to protect the natural environment
Gilling also went on to point out that unfortunately, the findings weren’t all positive with just 27% of respondents believing Australian children spend enough time playing outdoors in nature.
“Previous National Tree Day research has demonstrated the significant and varied benefits of interaction with nature for children’s health, wellbeing and development, so it’s concerning to see that our younger generations are not getting the nature play they need” Gilling commented “We see first-hand the positive impacts of time in nature through the thousands of students who get involved in Schools Tree Day each year and the joy it brings them. So many adults reflect on their childhood experiences of Tree Day, and the pride they feel as they see the results of their labours all those years ago.”
Gilling explained that Schools Tree Day (July 29) and National Tree Day (July 31) are Australia’s largest annual tree-planting and nature care events, with plantings taking place across the country on the last weekend of July. Over the last 26 years, over 26 million native trees, shrubs and grasses have been planted by over five million National Tree Day volunteers. Gilling said that this week Planet Ark is also celebrating numerous plantings taking place around the country that have been funded through The Seedling Bank program. Launched in 2019 with the goal of supplying native seedlings to schools and community groups, the program has already provided funding for almost 39,000 seedlings to 90 groups around Australia. Gilling added that a number of these stories are told in this year’s “Tree Talk: Stories from The Seedling Bank” report, including refugee students growing their own ‘living classroom’, wildlife shelters planting native flowering gums to feed rehabilitating animals, schools creating indigenous gardens where plants tell local creation stories and more. Gilling said that National Tree Day is an initiative organised by Planet Ark in partnership with major sponsor Toyota Australia and its Dealer Network. This year, Planet Ark and Toyota have teamed up with the AFL to plant a tree for every point scored during rounds 17-19, an estimated 4,500 trees. The trees will be donated through Planet Ark’s Seedling Bank, to grow a ‘Footy Forest’ across Australia.
Keep in Mind:
- National Tree Day is Australia’s largest tree planting and nature care event
- Founded in 1996, over 26 million trees have been planted by over 5 million volunteers for National Tree Day
- Over 80% of Australians agree that planting trees is an important part of creating a more sustainable future
- 81% agree spending time in nature is good for physical and psychological wellbeing
- 74% agree planting trees is an important means of learning about our environment and how to care for it
- 69% agree spending time in nature increases their desire to protect the natural environment
- 27% believe Australian children spend enough time playing outdoors in nature