Planting trees for our community: a student perspective

On July 25, 2024, our Year 11 and 12 Personal Development Skills (PDS) class took part in a tree-planting project at the Rupanyup Reservoir. Our goal was to plant 300 trees to make our town look nicer and help prevent flooding. When we arrived at the reservoir, we were excited and ready to work. Adrian from the Rupanyup committee and Alicia welcomed us and showed us how to plant the trees. They gave us helpful tips to make sure the saplings would grow well. Although we aimed to plant 300 trees, we ended up planting 233 because some saplings were too small. Adrian and Alicia were happy with what we achieved, and we felt proud to help our community.

On September 19, 2024, we returned to the reservoir to check on the trees. We found that 36 out of the 233 trees had died, mainly because of damage from wildlife and some tree guards coming off. However, many of the trees, especially the wattles, native pines, eucalyptus, and cassias, were doing well. Adrian mentioned that some of the older trees were even dropping seeds and starting to grow new ones.

The feedback from local residents was positive. Many people said the tree planting had changed the look of the reservoir area. One resident was excited to see more birds, including rosellas, parrots, and finches, since the trees were planted. Another, who walks in the area, said, “It has made it much more beautiful and has helped with the view from my house.” A local couple, who take care of the caravan park, said they tell visitors about the area. They also noted that the trees give shelter to kangaroos and other wildlife crossing the road near the park.

Even though we didn’t reach our goal of 300 trees, it’s clear our work has made a real difference in the Rupanyup community. This project has made our environment more beautiful and provided a home for local wildlife. Our experience showed us that small actions can lead to positive changes, reminding us of the strength of community spirit and teamwork.