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The One Million Trees Project is a community run project, aiming to plant one million native trees by 2030.
This initiative is to support Council’s Climate Emergency Declaration and to tackle climate by encouraging community groups, service clubs, rural landowners, schools and residents in an ambitious goal to collectively plant, and record progress toward planting, one million trees across the Alexandrina region by 2030.
Council’s role in the project is to help record the number of local suitable trees, shrubs and/or other suitable vegetation being planted across the region, and to provide a public tracking mechanism so everyone can see the progress being made toward the shared one million trees goal.
Trees are important. They provide us with oxygen and shade, filter our water we drink, store carbon, stabilise the soil and give life to the world's wildlife. They also provide us with jobs, and materials for tools and shelter.
Did you know that trees can cool the local area where you live? Adelaide’s Urban Heat Mapping shows that trees can reduce the local temperatures by 20 degrees Celsius during a hot day.
Trees also help to tackle climate change caused by greenhouse gas. As trees grow they absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), a major greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.
This is why Alexandrina Council supports our community in planting trees.
You can support our region as individual or as organisation by planting native trees or shrubs suitable to your area.
Before you plant, ensure that you are allowed to plant in the area. For example, while you can plant on private land, you are not allowed to plant trees on Council and/or State Land, or road verges without permission.
Council is responsible for the management and maintenance of all trees on Council land, including those that have been planted by residents on Council verges. Residents and ratepayers are not authorised to prune or remove trees on Council land without prior written approval from Council. Further information can be found here:
- Alexandrina’s verge garden guide
- Verge / Nature Strip; and Tree Planting and Removals
- Trees on Council land
There are limitations when planting trees under or near powerlines. Refer to SA Power Networks for more information .
If you are unsure, you can contact Council’s Environmental Project Officer and/or Environmental Strategy Officer by calling 8555 7000, or by emailing alex@alexandrina.sa.gov.au.
If you have already planted local and suitable trees or shrubs in the Alexandrina area and want to register your trees, contact Council’s Environmental Strategy Officer by calling 8555 7000, or by emailing alex@alexandrina.sa.gov.au
Please note that only trees and shrubs (and other plants) that are native to the area of planting should be recorded.
It is highly recommended to consult with your local community nurseries well before you start planting.
Local community nurseries can provide you with all the information you require, they can also grow to order and they sell trees that are suitable to your area.
If you are an organisation and want to order a large amount of seedlings, the local nurseries must be notified well ahead of time as the majority of their orders are grown to order.
The following community nurseries are in the Alexandrina area – please check out their contacts first before you get in contact with them as contacts may have changed:
Alexandrina Community NurseryLocation: Kessel Road, Goolwa (Near Council Depot).
Opening Hours: Every Friday 9am to 4pm.
Contact (Nursery Manager): Ben Simon on 0418 828 949
Clayton Bay Community NurseryLocation: 6A Alexandrina Drive, Clayton Bay.
Contact (Manager): Phil Collins on 0419 832 213
Email: claytonbayneg@gmail.com
Hindmarsh Island Landcare Group Community Nursery
Location: Randell Road, Hindmarsh Island (just past the bridge)
Contact (Nursery Manager): 0497 911 419
Email: hilandcare@gmail.com
You can also contact Council’s Environmental Project Officer and/or Environmental Strategy Officer by calling 8555 7000, or by emailing alex@alexandrina.sa.gov.au
Here are a few things you need to consider before you start planting:
- Is the species suitable for the area?
Alexandrina has several bioregions and suitable trees or shrubs will vary pending on the location. The community nursery will help you selecting the correct seedlings.
- Availability of seedlings
If you are an organisation and want to order a large amount of seedlings, the local nurseries must be notified well ahead of time as the majority of their orders are grown to order. They do have a certain amount for sale to public, but may still be able to propagate some more trees if they know there could be an increase in demand.
Trees for Life can also take orders. Orders for tree seedlings close early, usually around September each year, although the correct timing must be confirmed with the nursery.
- Can I plant non-native trees or shrubs?
Alexandrina Council supports the planting of native local tree species. While you can plant non-native trees on your property, the One Million Trees Project will only record native trees suitable to your area. For example, even Australian natives, that are not indigenous to our area, can become invasive weeds.
- Is the species a weed or potential weed?
Before you plant Australian natives, please consider that even Australian natives, that are not indigenous to our area, can become invasive weeds. Hence, only local native trees will be suitable for the One Million Trees Project. The community nursery will help you selecting the correct seedlings.
- Where can you get information and buy locally suitable trees and shrubs?
It is highly recommended to consult with your local community nurseries before you start planting. The contacts of Alexandrina’s three local community nurseries are listed above .
- Do you have access to the area and are you allowed to plant there?
Before you start planting, ensure that have permission to plant trees in an area that is not private land. For example, there are restrictions to plant trees on Council land, State land, road verges and under powerlines. Further information is found above.
For more information, please contact the Council’s Environmental Project Officer on 8555 7000, or by emailing alex@alexandrina.sa.gov.au.
- Planting season and post-planting care
The greatest factor in predicting plant mortality is inadequate post-planting care. Without correct planning, ongoing care, and mechanisms for protection, tree planting projects can result in failure:
The best time for planting trees in Alexandrina is in autumn / winter, after we have had some good opening soaking rains. However, planted seedlings also benefit from watering over the first summer and protection against grazing. Don’t plant during extreme weather events, such as heatwaves or even frost.
- Incorporating biodiversity and fire prevention
There is a need for biodiverse plantings that address public safety and bushfire prevention. In some circumstances it may be inappropriate to establish dense vegetation. More information can be found on the Treenet website and from your local nursery.
- You have planted trees and want to register them
If you have planted native local trees on land that you are allowed to plant on, please contact Council’s Environmental Strategy Officer by calling 8555 7000, or by emailing alex@alexandrina.sa.gov.au
Your trees will automatically be counted and displayed on our website. However, please note that records will be checked regularly and if unsuitable trees are registered, the registration will be deleted. Alexandrina will only count native local species suitable for our area.
It is highly recommended to consult with your local community nurseries before you start planting. They not only provide you with information on these questions but also sell suitable native plants for your local area.
Disclaimer
Council does not take on responsibility of any of the plantings undertaken as part of the One Million Trees Project. This includes vetting of suitable species and areas where plantings took place. This is the sole responsibility of the community members or organisations.