News #16
In this issue: Thoughts from our CEO From degraded paddock to healthy forest Greenfleet Business Breakfast Seminar Planting the seeds of the future at Cardinia Creek Parklands 5 minutes with our foresters Tips to avoid and reduce emissions this winter
Thoughts from our CEO Half of the year has passed, and I can’t believe what we have achieved already in this International Year of Forests! For the second year in a row, Greenfleet and Biolinking Australia have been honoured as finalists in the UNAA World Environment Day Awards for our collaboration to protect and enhance biodiversity, through revegetation projects and the protection of remnant bushland. Since 2008, together we have established more than 2,500 hectares of biodiverse forest for carbon sequestration and habitat regeneration, including the Ploughshare revegetation project (see picture on the right), and protected over 1,500 hectares of adjacent biodiverse remnant vegetation. As a result, many of our nation’s biodiversity assets are protected and enhanced for future generations, offering benefits to the wider community such as protecting water quality and reducing salinity and erosion. I recently visited the 2-year old forest at Ploughshare and was impressed by how much the forest has grown.
My previous visit to the site was just after the seed was sown, and I thought I had a sense of the significance of the project. When I went back this year, I realised just how large this project is and how much value it brings to the landscape and ecosystems. Seeing is believing! We also had the pleasure to celebrate World Environment Day with friends and volunteers from all over Melbourne at our Community Planting Day. Read more on page 6. In April, Greenfleet was one of just two forest sink providers invited to address the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee hearing for the proposed Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) legislation. Greenfleet strongly supports the introduction of legislation to underpin the CFI and to provide certainty to the offsets market. At the time of going to press with this newsletter, the future of the CFI is being decided in Parliament. Work as usual keeps us busy, but I have a smile on my face when I reflect on these few past months. To date, our foresters have monitored the health of over 80 Greenfleet forests and planted another 10 sites across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. It is thanks to you, our supporters, that we can celebrate these achievements. Together we are making a real difference!
Sara Gipton CEO Greenfleet July 2011
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Greenfleet forester Reece and Jeroen from Biolinking Australia monitor the growth at Ploughshare
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From degraded paddock to healthy forest Point Sturt, 6 years on
Located at the mouth of the Murray River, Lake Alexandrina forms part of the Milang Wetlands of international significance under the Ramsar Convention*. The Milang Wetlands support a wide variety of plants and animals, especially waterbirds. Rising salinity, clearing of vegetation, over-grazing and invasive weeds have lead to a decrease in suitable habitat for birds, putting their survival in the region in jeopardy. Plants, people and fish are also affected by these threats. Traditional owners, the Ngarrindjeri people are very concerned, as their ruwi (country) and ngatji (totems), such as the pelican, Murray cod and turtles, are stressed. While issues surrounding the health of the Murray are complex, everyone agrees one aspect requiring urgent attention is revegetation. In 2004-5, Greenfleet and Scouts Australia completed a large revegetation project along the banks of Lake Alexandrina, as part of the Murray Darling Rescue program.
Landholder Matthew Portus remembers the day it all changed on his property: “In one extraordinary weekend in late May 2005 over 2,000 committed people, brimming with goodwill, descended on Point Sturt and planted over 28,000 native trees and shrubs. The exercise was well planned and the biodiversity broad.” Six years later, despite the long-lasting drought, the trees are growing very well. Greenfleet foresters observed a healthy forest, with a fantastic success rate of 80%. There is definitely more wildlife present on the site and we are now looking forward to seeing the next generation of trees and shrubs establish, through germination from fallen seeds.
* A 92 nation agreement known as the Convention on Wetlands of International importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, more commonly referred to as the Ramsar Convention. ** LAP: Local Action Plan
“My wife and I bought this 200-acre property on Point Sturt. Despite the beauty and variety of the landscape: it was not particularly productive land. The breakthrough for us was meeting Greenfleet, who in combination with our local LAP** and Scouts Australia teamed together to provide us with a wonderful solution: an attempt to restore the original pre-settlement landscape”. Matthew Portus 4
Bringing back biodiversity “With the return of the rain over the last 18 months, there has been an explosion in the amount of insect activity within our forest systems. Among the most noticeable changes has been the increase in various Orb Spiders casting their webs between our trees. It can make for pleasing photo opportunities and the odd uncomfortable moment when we get caught up in a web.” Greenfleet Forester, Eoghan O’Connor
We are pleased that the sites measured Spider are exceeding our b Weavingcommitments. n Orcarbon Garde
Branch out and watch your business grow Mingle, network and meet the experts! It only happens once a year - Greenfleet’s Business Breakfast, this year proudly sponsored by mecu, LeasePlan and Smartsalary. Remove yourself from the carbon clutter and discover what your business needs to know in the changing landscapes of carbon, forests and sustainability as we celebrate the International Year of Forests. Meet our esteemed panel of speakers led by the guru of rainforests, Dr Thomas Lovejoy, fondly known as “Dr Amazon” from Washington DC; Peter Cosier (Executive Director Wentworth Group of Scientists); Ralph Plarre (baker extraordinaire); and Rob Fowler (carbon offset regulatory expert). Venue: D oltone House (first 6 star green star rated building in NSW) Darling Island Wharf Pyrmont, NSW Date: Dr Thomas Lovejoy
Peter Cosier
Ralph Plarre
Tuesday 6th September 2011
Rob Fowler
We invite you to book a table by August 7th for the early bird rate and to be in the running for a special environmentally friendly prize.
Don’t miss out: to register visit
www.greenfleet.com.au
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Planting the seeds of the future On June 5 Greenfleet and Parks Victoria invited the community to celebrate forests on World Environment Day. Part of Parks Victoria’s broader Cardinia Creek Parklands plan, more than 130 eager volunteers got the Greenfleet revegetation project started by planting 3,300 native seedlings. Thanks to a Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation grant and Greenfleet’s generous supporters, the overall project saw a mixture of 12,200 native trees planted at the site over three days. “Our goal is to increase the coverage of endangered vegetation communities and link remnant patches of vegetation to provide habitat and corridors for native wildlife, in addition to recapturing carbon pollution from the atmosphere,” explained Greenfleet CEO Sara Gipton.
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“A species of particular significance here is the Eucalyptus fulgens or Green Scent Bark, as forests including this species have declined dramatically due to land clearing.” From tree planting and nature walks, to bird watching and face painting, the day was a huge success amongst participants. Smiles could be seen on every face, kids and adults alike were rapt to get their hands dirty for the environment and learn more about the benefits forests have for the planet.
“It was a great experience to show the kids that we need to help improve our environment.” Angela, an enthusiastic volunteer.
at Cardinia Creek Parklands The day was made very special thanks to the support of many local and national organisations. We would like to thank... Hyundai for sponsoring the event and providing us with vehicles to organise and promote the day; Parks Victoria for their support with this project; Birds Australia for helping us spot the birdlife; Berwick Fields Primary School staff and parents for donating the sausage sizzle and putting together a memorial art project; Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses for donating the yummy Green Forest Cupcakes; City of Casey for providing support and sponsorship for the day; Green Onions Organic Grocer for donating delicious organic apples; City of Bendigo & Hyundai for donating the first prize of our raffle; Sylvia & Gloria for their amazing face painting; and Itty Bitty Greenie and Eco Party Box for their donations.
And of course a huge thank-you to all participants for helping plant a native forest on World Environment Day!
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Monash student receives Corporate Environmental Responsibility award F or four years, Greenfleet has sponsored the Monash University student award for Corporate Environmental Responsibility. Greenfleet CEO Sara Gipton recently had the pleasure of handing the prize to Scott Ferraro for excelling in this unit in 2010.
It is essential to encourage our next generation of business leaders to ensure sustainability and corporate responsibility are just part of a business’ standard licence to operate. We are pleased that Monash University offers students a chance to understand the implications behind environmental responsibility from a corporate point of view.
We love students! Over a number of years, Greenfleet has welcomed more than 20 students as part of work integrated learning programs run by universities in Victoria.
After 10 weeks, the students presented their results and recommendations to the Greenfleet Board, taking up the role of CEOs for 15 minutes.
Working either in groups or on their own, these enthusiastic students have helped Greenfleet greatly, undertaking research projects, developing marketing plans, preparing corporate donor reports, taking photographs and participating in forestry activities.
“The passion and commitment shown by Greenfleet’s staff has enriched our learning experience and widened our perspectives on carbon related issues,”
For the past semester, every Thursday afternoon, Ellie, Henry, Jie, Timothy and Will from Melbourne University met at Greenfleet to work on their project to recommend a “strategic positioning of Greenfleet’s carbon assets”.
said this University of Melbourne Business Consulting Team. The students gain valuable workplace experiences, from teamwork and communication to deadlines and resource management, building strong foundations for their own careers. Henry, member of this team added: “My involvement with Greenfleet has inspired me to pursue a career within the sustainable development industry, and I have recently accepted a position as a Graduate Mechanical Engineer in an environmental engineering design firm.” Thank you to all the students who already brought their eyes, ears, legs and minds to Greenfleet and welcome to the future ones!
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5 minutes with Mick Spiller and Reece Sandwith Mick and Reece are both part of the Greenfleet forestry team, working hard to put the right trees in the right place at the right time, find new planting sites, monitor the condition of our biodiverse forests and measure the carbon they absorb. Here is a bit more about two of our native forest experts.
What is your background? Mick: Originally from Western Victoria, I followed a path into Parks management after completing a degree in Parks Recreation and Heritage at Charles Sturt University in Albury. I had a number of short contract positions after uni, including a Summer Ranger role with Parks Victoria and a Woody Weed spraying contract with the Department of Sustainability and Environment, immediately before I joined Greenfleet in July 2005. Reece: I completed an Associate Degree in Forestry Management at the Creswick Forestry School, including several weeks’ industry placement as part of my study. That summer (2008-09) I was accepted into a student work experience program with ForestrySA in Mt Gambier to get some practical forestry experience, ranging from costing analyses to fire fighting. I had a brief stint bricklaying in 2009 when a lot of the managed investment companies went belly-up before joining Greenfleet that December.
Why did you join Greenfleet? Mick: I liked the proactive approach to conservation and sustainability that Greenfleet possessed. I was impressed that a small organisation could be doing so much on the ground. This was especially because, at the time, the climate change debate was still a background issue and it appeared that Greenfleet was an organisation with a lot of foresight and an environmental conscience.
Reece: When you spend one week measuring carbon in the NSW Riverina and the next conducting survival assessments on the shores of Lake Alexandrina at the Murray’s mouth, you can’t help but love your job. To be able to travel around Australia and re-establish important vegetation communities is both challenging and rewarding.
Reece: Having previously conducted work experience with Greenfleet as part of my studies, I had a good understanding of how friendly and supportive a workplace it was. That, coupled with Greenfleet’s extensive environmental credentials made it a simple choice.
What do you enjoy most in your job? Mick: I love going back to old revegetation sites and seeing the trees grow and develop into a forest. I also enjoy inspecting potential new sites with landholders and helping them to realise their passion for developing their properties into something they are proud to pass on to subsequent generations.
Top: Mick Spiller, Bottom: Reec
e Sandwith
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Congrats!
Congratulations to Greenfleet supporters: Manningham City Council and Original Foods Premier’s Sustainability Award finalists 2011! Congratulations also to Whitehorse City Council for the Sustainable Ambassadors Program; recently recognised for its efforts in guiding and encouraging people to lead more sustainable lifestyles with Whitehorse City Council receiving the Premier’s Sustainability Award for Local Government for 2011.
Greenfleet re-released Your sustainable transport guide in April 2011. We would like to thank mecu who kindly sponsored the reprinting of the Guide, along with Sands Print and Focus Paper for printing the Guide at a reduced rate, using ReArt 100% recycled paper. Your sustainable transport guide is also available free to download from the Greenfleet website in the Researchers section. Right: Greenfleet CEO Sara Gipton returns from a meeting using Melbourne Bike Share with Alto Hotel management team Gary Stickland and Ricardo Krauskopf
There are some days when driving a car is the most practical mode of transport. If you’ve parked in one of the 215 Wilson Parking’s car parks, you will have seen Greenfleet on the reverse of your ticket! Thanks to Wilson Group for helping to promote our program and a bigger thank you to everyone who has subsequently donated to Greenfleet and offset their vehicle’s emissions through our native tree planting projects. At Greenfleet we love good ideas that help protect the environment while being very handy! That’s why we love the branded KeepCup launched by Hudsons Coffee, to help the environment by reducing the number of paper cups used in store. Just over 2,000 KeepCups were sold in this limited-time promotion. What’s more? To further support the initiative Hudsons Coffee is planting 1,500 biodiverse native trees with Greenfleet’s future carbon offset program.
Welcome to our two new Directors
In April, we had the pleasure of welcoming Dr Vishaal Kishore and Mr Blair Lindsay to the Greenfleet Board. Vishaal holds a doctorate from Harvard Law School and is admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor in the Supreme Court of Victoria and the High Court of Australia. Working for a leading international consulting firm, his focus is government and regulatory strategy, and public policy. He has experience in mergers and acquisitions, and corporate law. Blair has worked in human resources across a variety of industries, and is currently the Workplace Relations Manager at Bosch. With a special interest in sustainable futures, he holds Non-Executive Director positions with Greenfleet and the ATA (Alternative Technology Association).
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We'd like to thank the following organisations for supporting Greenfleet
Foundation sponsor:
Visit greenfleet.com.au for more supporters. 11
Make your home cosy this winter without warming the planet! Reducing emissions in winter is often hard to do when you’re trying to be all warm and snuggly. Here’s a reminder of some handy ways to avoid and reduce your emissions without freezing. As it gets dark earlier during the winter months we tend to have our lights on for longer. Try to reduce the demand for energy by using natural light or energy efficient light globes in your home, and remember to turn off the light when you leave a room. For outdoor lighting get solar path/garden lights instead of electrical ones. They are easy to install and turn on automatically when it’s dark.
If possible turn heaters and other appliances off at the wall when they aren’t being used. Leaving appliances on standby is often unnecessary, and contributes to 10% of household electricity usage per year.
To keep heating costs down for your wallet and the environment, set your thermostat between 18°C and 20°C, instead of leaving it at the same temperature all year round.
Use thick curtains or blinds to prevent heat loss through windows when it’s cold outside. Draughts and unwanted air leakage can increase home heating costs by up to 25%. Draught proof all your windows and doors. This can be done using door and window seals or a door sausage. These are all cheap, quick and easy to install yourself.
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
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