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FORESTRY Tasmania community liaison officers will take possession of more than 10,000 seedlings later this month in preparation for Schools Tree Day on July 30 and National Tree Day on August 1.
Photo: Cressy High School's receiving seedlings for National Tree Day for use on their school farm. (Pictured left to right: Farm Manager Nick Goss, Grade 10 students Sarah Casey, Gary Musicka and Dylan Cavenagh and Agricultural Science teacher Andrew Dilger).
The seedlings will be made available free of charge to schools and community groups as an ongoing community service by Forestry Tasmania and groups are invited to contact their local Forestry Tasmania district office to participate.
Forestry Tasmania Assistant Nursery manager Carlton Cox said this year’s seedling total would bring the number donated to an impressive 33,000 since FT started participating in National Tree Day activities in 2006.
“The seedlings have been cultivated at the Forest Nursery at Perth with seed from the Tasmanian Seed Centre,” he said.
“This year they include 11 species suited to different locations.
“For example the cider gum (Eucalyptus gunnii) is a Tasmanian endemic and is very suitable for cold conditions and tolerates wet soils. When mature it makes an ideal shade tree or wind shelter. The trees grow to 12-18 metres and can be pruned to maintain its shape, size and blue foliage.
“Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) is very adaptable but prefers well-drained soil and cool conditions. Blackwood ranges in height from five to 25 metres and has pale yellow flowers from July to October.
“The heart leafed silver gum (Eucalyptus cordata) is endemic to southern Tasmania and can vary from three to 18 metres. Its grey/green foliage and white flowers in spring make it an attractive ornamental tree.”
Mr Cox said for those who didn’t have the space for large trees the nursery had cultivated a variety of shrubs.
They include the sticky hop bush (Dodonea viscose), a two to three metre shrub with shiny bright green sticky leaves which in spring has papery reddish three-winged fruits. It grows best in light sandy soils, is very hardy and can tolerate a wide range of conditions.
Also available are manuka or tea tree (Leptospermum scoparium) seedlings which grow to a tall, bushy hardy shrub two to five metres or taller and which makes an excellent screen plant.
Other species of seedlings available include Morrisby’s gum (Eucalyptus morrisbyi ), white gum (Eucalyptus viminalis), scented paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa), lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon pallidus), coastal tea tree (Leptospermum laevigatum) and white kunzea (Kunzea ambigua).
For more information or to place an order, phone 6235 8333 to be directed to the nearest district community liaison officer, or email forestry.tasmania@forestrytas.com.au
For more information on Schools Tree Day visit http://treeday.planetark.org
END
7th July, 2010
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