Greenfleet News - 2011 Autumn

News #15

In this issue: 2011 - International Year of Forests 2010 in the rear-view mirror Bringing the Big Scrub Rainforest back to Byron Bay 5 minutes with our Senior Forester Supporter news Your health and the environment

Welcome to 2011 the International Year of Forests!

2011 has been declared as the International Year of Forests by the United Nations. We are excited that the wider community, all over the globe, is getting together to celebrate the forests and the crucial roles they play in our lives.

Covering 31% of the total land area on the planet, forests are truly essential to life on earth and their benefits are numerous: they act as the world’s lungs, breathing in carbon dioxide and breathing out oxygen; they are a source of food and medicine; they act as water filters improving the water quality in many places; they provide shelter to people and habitat to wildlife; they preserve and foster biodiversity; they help balance the climate... in a nutshell: they are vital for every living thing.

At Greenfleet we did not wait for this special year to celebrate the value of forests.

Since 1997 we have planted almost 7 million native trees on behalf of our generous donors and supporters around Australia. The resulting forests are helping to recapture the carbon pollution equivalent of more than 400,000 average cars for an entire year.

But that’s not all, they are also helping to improve water quality in dams and reservoirs, prevent hill and landscape degradation, supply food and home to valuable native wildlife, and are a source of inspiration for so many of us.

To celebrate the International Year of Forests, Greenfleet wants to plant more native forests than ever before and make 2011 a milestone year: so we have set a fundraising target of 2 million trees for 2011. We know you can help us achieve this environmental landmark.

I personally started the year by walking in the magnificent, fragrant and wonderful forests in the Tarkine (north-western Tasmania). So in 2011 I encourage you to take a walk in a forest, look around, listen to the noises of nature growing: breathing, tweeting, growling, cooing and flowing; and enjoy it all. Donate to Greenfleet and spread the word around you...

Sara Gipton CEO Greenfleet March 2011 2

Nine-year-old eucalypts at Battery Creek, Vic

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Check out Greenfleet’s foresters in action, conducting on-ground carbon measurements!

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2010 in the rear-view mirror It was challenging, because of the uncertainty in the carbon market and the end of Greenhouse Friendly™.

However the year was also a strengthening one, reinforcing the value of what Greenfleet does. Greenfleet continued growing (in every sense of the word); we were finalists in two major awards for our biodiversity work; we organised four planting days for our supporters along with two business breakfasts and two Drive Days; and together with Net Balance we published a Sustainable Transport Guide.

Above all, in 2010, Greenfleet continued doing what we do best: helping the Australian community understand the impact of their carbon pollution on our planet, then helping them avoid, reduce and finally offset any remaining emissions. Greenfleet not only planted native trees where and when the conditions were best; but the Greenfleet foresters also conducted site monitoring on more than 120 sites, a titanic effort over almost 3,000 ha across ACT, NSW, Qld, SA and Vic. Indeed, planting seeds and seedlings into the ground is only the beginning of the Greenfleet journey. Six months after planting, a first survival check is conducted to see how the seedlings are doing and what challenges they are facing. Every year after that Greenfleet foresters perform a check-up, until the trees are five and half years, then every five years from them on.

Once the trees reach a suitable size on our largest and/or more productive sites, we conduct on-ground carbon measurements.

A random sample is used to estimate yield of the entire forest estate. Last year, in-field carbon measurements were conducted on 16 established forest sites and the results were

inspiring. At Battery Creek, for example, some of the trees planted in 1999 were so big our forester’s 2-metre tape was too short to reach around the trunk!

We are pleased that the sites measured are exceeding our carbon commitments.

Greenfleet’s forest management practices and carbon models have been developed using the Australian government’s National Carbon Accounting System (NCAS). Derived from the NCAS, the National Carbon Accounting Toolbox (NCAT) can be used to estimate the amount of carbon pollution absorbed by the trees replanted upon the model. Over the 16 sites measured, the actual carbon pool formed by these forests is more than twice what was expected using the NCAT model’s default values. While this is just the start of our in-field carbon measurements, we are pleased that these sites are exceeding our carbon commitments, and the trees are growing nicely to form healthy forests. On top of that, we are partnering with CSIRO to share these results across numerous sites to assist in developing improved models for biodiverse carbon forests.

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Battery Creek, VIC Actual measurements

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CO2-e t/ha

Although 2010 was a challenging year, Greenfleet was able to achieve some measurable outcomes.

NCAT estimate

600 400 200

5 years

6 years

7 years

8 years

9 years

10 years

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Age of the forests measured Carbon measured at seven different locations at Battery Creek, VIC, compared to NCAT model.

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Bringing the Big Scrub Rainforest back to Byron Bay Byron Bay is famous for its Wategos point break, music festivals and a beach culture that’s an odd mix of hippy and beachcomber with up-market elegance.

Byron Bay was also once the centre of the Big Scrub Rainforest that blanketed the Northern Rivers region of NSW. Sadly, over 95% of the Big Scrub was cleared in the 19th century, first by ‘cedar getters’ and later by farmers clearing the scrub to plant sugar cane or establish pastures for cattle grazing. Small pockets of remnant rainforest remain, mostly confined to national parks such as the one along the slopes of Mt Warning which towers over Byron Bay and the surrounding district.

“Byron Bay is the perfect site to grow anything, but this applies equally to weeds as it does to native rainforest seedlings. The fertile soils and sub-tropical climate are ideal for a number of significant weeds including Camphor laurel, which infests waterways and paddocks across the region”, says Michael.

Greenfleet has been busy replanting parts of the Big Scrub Rainforest in and around Byron Bay, with a recent planting completed at Ewingsdale just 10 km from Byron’s bars and coffee shops. Among others, the goal of revegetating this land is to create corridors for vulnerable native fauna such as the Eastern Pygmy Possum. The six hectare site was planted with 18 different species of local rainforest trees.

Greenfleet’s solution to this is to plant a number of locally endemic pioneer species that grow quickly to provide shade and shelter to other slower growing rainforest trees, but shade out Camphor laurel and many other weeds that are unable to germinate and grow in shade. So the forest takes care of its own weed management after the pioneer species are established.

Greenfleet forester Michael Spiller explains,

“It’s a more environmentally friendly and sustainable way of weed management and it’s also far less expensive and energy intensive than using herbicides and brushcutters.”

“sub-tropical rainforests are highly diverse, and our efforts to put back the original ecosystem on behalf of our supporters means a lot of different trees and shrubs need to be planted.

The Ewingsdale project

offers steep slopes, ridge lines and gullies; and to guarantee success the species need to be matched and planted in the correct position.”

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Byron Bay appears to be an ideal site for Greenfleet to plant a forest. With no rabbits, a frost free climate, rich basalt soils and two metres of rain a year it seems, on the surface at least, to be a simple task to replicate a patch of the Big Scrub. But it’s not always as straightforward as it looks.

“Greenfleet’s mission is about offsetting the greenhouse gas emissions of our supporters through planting forests, but we’re also often able to reduce our own impact through smarter forestry management practices such as the use of pioneer species”, says Michael.

Starting the transformation at Byron Bay

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At the flick of a switch A t 8.30pm on Saturday 26th March, millions of people across the world will turn their lights off for an hour as part of Earth Hour; an opportunity to take time and reflect on our sustainable behaviours and realise the power every individual has to tackle climate change.

I n 2010, almost one billion people across the world joined in this lights-out event; gathering to switch off the lights of iconic landmarks like the Sydney Opera House, organising candle-lit dinner parties, switching off office lights, etc.

Greenfleet, like every night and weekend, will switch off computers, printers and lights.

Get involved in Earth Hour and keep up the good behaviour for the rest of the year: switch off the lights when leaving a room and unplug appliances you don’t use; it’s more money in your hip pocket and less pollution for the planet!

Visit www.earthhour.org.au to register.

Greenfleet forests enjoy a drink We’ve all been shocked by the extent of the floods earlier this year and the devastating impact they had on so many communities.

However, the impact of the flooding has been positive for the Greenfleet’s biodiverse forests, with just a couple of minor exceptions.

Many of the species planted by Greenfleet are tolerant of periodic flooding and are selected for this reason in areas near rivers and floodplains. Some iconic species like the River Red Gum rely on periodic flooding for the long-term health of the trees themselves and the surrounding ecosystem.

Greenfleet has inspected all sites in areas known to be impacted by the floods and has found just two sites with adverse impacts – one at Ipswich (Qld) and one near Maryborough (Vic).

As the waters recede from the the two sites mentioned above, survival will be assessed and we will be able to provide an update about any necessary recovery efforts on these specific sites.

In the meantime, our thoughts and best wishes are with the affected communities.

“Most of our plantings will benefit enormously from the flooding, with the top dressing of nutrientrich sediment and alluvium a great boost to growth over the short and medium terms. Prolonged inundation may even drown some of the weeds and grasses and give a further boost to the trees”.

Greenfleet Senior Forester, Tim Powe 8

5 minutes with Tim Powe The International Year of Forests also celebrates the people who play a central role in sustainable forest management. We thought it was the perfect opportunity to feature the Greenfleet forestry team.

In this edition we interview Tim Powe, Greenfleet’s Senior Forester. Tim is based in Brisbane servicing the growing number of biodiverse carbon forests in Queensland and northern NSW. Tim has been with Greenfleet for one year, has a degree in Botany and enjoys visiting national parks, watching cricket and share market trading.

What is your background?

I have been working in environmental management for more than 20 years, through energy and greenhouse gas emission inventories, carbon market risk management and forest sink abatement projects for governments, as well as a range of businesses and industry sectors. I developed the first Greenhouse Friendly™ approved carbon forest in Queensland where we used wastewater effluent to irrigate a carbon forest and generate voluntary offsets. For many businesses including councils, growing trees is a cost-effective way of reducing life cycle emissions, and the added biodiversity benefits are attractive.

My work at Greenfleet combines my professional skills in carbon, forestry and greenhouse management with a vocational love of biodiversity and nature.

What do you like most about working at Greenfleet?

Our biodiverse forestry charity uses the demand for voluntary carbon offsets to help solve other environmental problems, such as species and habitat loss or land and water degradation.

Moreover, a growing number of Australians lack awareness of and connectivity with nature and ecology. Our work seeks to remedy, in a small and subtle way, this lesser understood rising cultural issue.

I also enjoy meeting people interested in growing trees and discussing with them the many influences that drive their decision making. For some it’s purely economic; “The trees will provide shade for my cattle in summer and the reduced heat stress should lead to increased body weight.” But for every response like this, I hear many more like; “I want to see an increase in biodiversity, my father talked about the birds and wallabies that were on this place when he was a kid and I want to try and bring some of it back for my own kids.”

“Growing trees is a costeffective way of reducing life cycle emissions, and the added biodiversity benefits are attractive.”

What do you do to reduce your emissions?

It’s not always easy to do the best thing for the environment, but we try to take a balanced approach.

In my job, I do need to travel a lot. In Brisbane, I try to walk or catch public transport; but when I visit one of our planting sites, I have no choice but to use my vehicle.

To limit my emissions, I carefully plan my trips and try to organise meetings in the same area at once.

On a personal note, we installed rain water tanks at home, and recycle and compost all we can. My wife and I have planted out our backyard with local rainforest trees, and while the aesthetic and burgeoning urban wildlife is a bonus I also know the carbon in the trees partially compensates for our emissions.

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ConnectEast joins the Greenfleet supporters’ circle ConnectEast, owner and operator of Melbourne’s 39 km EastLink tollway, is offsetting the emissions of the EastLink vehicle fleet with Greenfleet.

Nearly 20 vehicles, including six response vans, utility vehicles, flat bed and tow trucks, tractors and a road sweeper, can be seen operating on EastLink every day and night in support of incident response, maintenance and landscaping activities.

Each month, the EastLink vehicles use around 11,000 litres of diesel, 2,000 litres of unleaded petrol, and 2,000 litres of LPG. ConnectEast is also responsible for the development and maintenance of landscaping and wetlands, which together cover an area greater than the 480 hectares of parks and gardens in the City of Melbourne.

Around 60 wetlands were established alongside EastLink to provide natural treatment for road run-off and also to provide habitat for local wildlife.

Thank-you Allan!

In this edition we would like to farewell Allan Rodger, who has been a Director for Greenfleet since it became an independent organisation in November 2001. Thank you, Allan, for your tremendous contribution to Greenfleet and good luck for your next endeavours.

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“Having already planted more than 3.5 million native trees and shrubs as part of EastLink, ConnectEast is excited to have taken this important step with Greenfleet to ensure that the emissions of our vehicles are offset by new native trees planted right here in Australia”.

Dennis Cliche, ConnectEast Managing Director In the coming months, ConnectEast will also work with Greenfleet to help promote the Greenfleet offsetting program to motorists who use EastLink.

For your calendar...

Greenfleet will be holding a Business Breakfast in Sydney for its corporate supporters this winter. Invitations will be sent soon, so if your organisation is offsetting emissions with Greenfleet, keep an eye on your inbox!

We'd like to thank the following organisations for supporting Greenfleet

Foundation sponsor:

Visit greenfleet.com.au for more supporters.

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Your health and the environment Did you know that becoming more physically active can improve your physical and mental health as well as have environmental benefits? Adopting a more active lifestyle is not without obstacles and it can be easy to fall back into old habits. Here are some tips on how to start and maintain a more active lifestyle and help the environment by reducing carbon pollution as well:

Make small changes. For most people, it is hard to change habits, so it is easier to start with some small changes to your daily routine. Walk or cycle to the supermarket rather than taking the car; take the stairs instead of the lift; get off the tram/train one stop before your normal stop and walk to your final destination.

Take up physical activities you enjoy. You are more likely to continue with activities you enjoy than those you think you should do.

Integrate activities like cycling and walking in your daily routine. For example, cycle to work rather than driving. Again, small changes are key. Maybe try it one day a week and slowly increase the frequency. You’ll notice some benefits right away: your mind is clear and ready for the day!

Be physically active with family or friends.

Social support is important in adopting and maintaining an active lifestyle. Being active with others also allows car sharing to exercise venues thereby reducing emissions.

Set realistic goals and expectations.

Increasing your fitness or losing weight will not happen overnight. Don’t start with a 45 minute run (it will hurt for days), walk or take a short 5 minute run and gradually build up the time and/or frequency of the activity.

Writing things down and monitoring progress will help you do this.

Reduce sedentary behaviour. If you engage in vigorous exercise or sport for 60-90 minutes a day, but spend the rest of the day sitting still, this has still negative consequences for health and well-being.

In your daily environment make sure you regularly get up and about.

Source: Remco Polman, Professor of Active Living, Institute of Sport, Exercise & Active Living (ISEAL) at Victoria University

Contact Greenfleet Postal address: Greenfleet PO Box 16011 Collins Street West VIC 8007

Keep up-to-date on:

Email: info@greenfleet.com.au Web: www.greenfleet.com.au Individual supporters and enquiries: 1800 032 999 Business supporters and enquiries: 03 9642 0570

Image credit page 8: Lauren Lederman

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