Nursery takes flight at Avalon

THE skies may have been largely quiet at Avalon Airport during COVID-19 but there’s plenty of activity on the ground with the establishment of the airport’s first on-site nursery.

Avalon has used the time to plan and implement a new nursery – which covers about 4,500 sqm – in order to address both aesthetic andenvironmental needs.

The airport’s extensive entry and exit roads require trees for not only beautification purpose, but also to provide a wind buffer for passengers, protect against soil erosion, and create a clear way-finding system.

Installing fully grown trees can be a risky and costly exercise, particularly if the trees do not take once they have been planted, so creating a nursery addresses both issues at the same time.

Saplings are far cheaper than full grown trees, which is an important consideration when the airport requiring more than 2,000 of them.

They are also more likely to thrive if established within their final environment, becoming accustomed to the exposure instead of being shocked by it if imported fully grown.

“We’re pleased to be establishing such a large area for Avalon Airport Nursery,” Avalon Airport chief executive officer Justin Giddings said.

“We have a history of planting trees onsite, having planted around 200,000 in and around the airport since 2000 as part of Avalon Landcare.

“It’s great to be doing so again in such a prominent spot with the purpose of using the trees.

“We can’t wait for them to develop and be replanted in their final positions around the airport.”

Avalon Airport Nursery contains about 2,600 plants.

The bare-rooted pot stock is a mix of native and international trees that thrive in the climate, and includes wattles, kurrajong trees, tea trees and banksias as well as maidenhairs and blue jacarandas.

Once the trees are more established, the airport plans to convert space in the vicinity into a staff garden and picnic area, and eventually hopes
to wholesale.

Elsewhere at Avalon, the airport has used the COVID-19 period to install new technology such as touchless kiosks, new auto bag drops and a state of the art CT scanner, creating a larger, safer space and a simpler, more seamless passenger experience.