Sugar Gums for Future Fund
A sugar gum plantation to raise funds for the Western District Health Service was planted last week, thanks to a broad community effort.
Almost 4ha of land donated for use by the Estate of HD Young was planted out at a community working bee, to provide timber to be harvested for firewood to raise funds for WDHS in future years.
WDHS Chief Executive Officer, Jim Fletcher, said the success of the project was due to the generosity of Hamilton businesses and community organisations.
He said that more than 3000 sugar gums were donated by ERA Nurseries, the plantable area had been ripped and mounded for the Health Service by Arborline Forestry Services, Accurate Spraying contributed the spraying, and Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority had provided 500 tree guards.
About 20 people from the community, including members of Rotaract, Hamilton Rotary, and Second Hamilton Scouts, put in a tremendous effort to plant out the area last weekend, followed by a well-earned barbecue.
The WDHS Development Council initiated the project to assist the Health Service raise funds in the next decade. Mr Fletcher said the Development Council would be interested in discussing donations of 4ha areas of land for sugar gum plantations for WDHS with landholders, with the intent of putting in several plantations over the next 10 years.
PHOTO: Ash Steele and Nathan Cook from Second Hamilton Scouts helped out at the sugar gum plantation working bee.