Giving for healthy koala habitats

ENVIRONMENTAL company 15 Trees has received a donation of two thousand gum trees and guards to enhance biodiversity and support koala habitats.

The donation was made by Ballarat Wildlife Park as part of its Branching out for Koalas campaign and marks the beginning of an ongoing partnership.

From each koala encounter at the park, $10 is donated to the campaign which was created to combat threats to koalas such as habitat loss, bushfires, and climate change.

“It’s an amazing boost, especially this time of year when tree planting is starting to slow down,” said founder of 15 Trees, Colleen Filippa.

“The koalas are under siege, I suppose, and up in New South Wales and Queensland in particular they are almost on the endangered list.”

The trees will be planted across Victoria at locations such as Mount Mercer, Napoleons, the Brisbane Ranges and the Mornington Peninsula, to rejuvenate wildlife corridors.

The initiative will also have broader benefits such as carbon sequestration, soil regeneration, and the creation of environments for other native wildlife species.

“We’re spreading the love, and the trees are going out to four different sites,” said Ms Filippa.

“Ongoing, we could look at the coast of New South Wales and in Queensland as well.

“You can’t get enough trees planted basically with urban expansion and loosing habitat.”

15 trees has recently reached 15 years of operation with nearly 450,000 trees planted across Australia.

“Every bit adds up. If a company kicks in 200 trees, an individual donates 15 trees,” said Ms Filippa.

“It just shows that collective action is really important, we don’t need to wait for government or companies to do stuff.”

To make a donation, visit the 15 trees website.