Pine trees from the old Bellarine Basin site have been harvested and donated to Foodbank to share with people who might not have been able to afford a Christmas tree this year.
The Christmas cheer is being spread as Barwon Water partners with Springdale Community Nursery and Bellarine Catchment Network (BCN) to deliver the trees as part of the bush regeneration process at Murrk Ngubitj Yarram Yaluk (formerly Bellarine Basin)
The festive initiative saw 40 trees provided last week to the local Foodbank to distribute.
Barwon Water managing director Shaun Cumming said it was wonderful to be able to get into the Christmas spirit and help the environment at the same time.
“It was terrific to be able to harvest the pines when they’re an ideal size to be used as Christmas trees and donate them to the community,” he said.
“As part of the landscape regeneration work at Murrk Ngubitj Yarram Yaluk, these self-seeded pines are weeds, but for a family experiencing financial hardship, hopefully they bring joy and help make the festive season a little bit more special.
“Removing them is a great gift to the site, too, as it supports our long-term plans for natural bush regeneration at Murrk Ngubitj Yarram Yaluk.”
Springdale Community Garden’s Anna Gillard said she was pleased to help coordinate the Christmas tree donation to help those in need this year.
“When Matt Crawley from Bellarine Catchment Network mentioned this pine-tree harvesting opportunity I thought it was a great opportunity to support the local Foodbank’s Christmas tree drive,” she said.
“I’m thankful to Barwon Water to being open to it and bringing some Christmas cheer to 40 families in need this Christmas.”
To help with bush regeneration activities and restore local habitat for our wildlife, a Friends of Murrk Ngubitj Yarram Yaluk has been established by Bellarine Catchment Network. The group meets on Wednesday of each month, starting up again in February 2024. To register, email info@bcn.org.au.
