On Saturday 28th August 2021, the Bushmead community celebrated a major milestone with the planting of the 500,000th tree, at an official ceremony at the Cedar Woods estate.
The event celebrated the estate's revegetation project, where 185 hectares of retained bushland is to be handed to the State Government for protection in 2023.
Local government members, the Cedar Woods team and residents came together to plant the commemorative tree, symbolising Bushmead’s commitment to sustainability and the conservation of the environment.
For the past seven years, Cedar Woods has been working closely with environmental specialists, Tranen, to establish the degraded bushland and reinvigorate the natural landscape, officially beginning direct seeding and planting with the help of the community in 2018. During this time 152 different species have been planted and over 90kg of seeds have been sewn.
With a mission to maintain 69% of retained bushland, Creating Communities has been engaged to encourage community involvement, specifically through the creation of the environmental group, the Bushmead Cobbers, and regular local tree planting events.
Cedar Woods State Manager WA, Ben Rosser said they were pleased to see so many years of hard work pay off and proud of the Bushmead community for their contribution to environmental conservation.
“Since acquiring the site in 2010 Cedar Woods has worked tirelessly to ensure Bushmead has been developed in an environmentally sensitive and sustainable manner, starting with our significant revegetation program,” said Rosser.
“Together, we have been able to rejuvenate the native bushland, while at the same time foster a tightknit community, which has been great to see.”
Creating Communities Founding Director, Allan Tranter said they love to see communities come together the way Cedar Woods’ communities do.
“The event over the weekend was a great example of how strong communities can be when they work towards a common goal. Planting 500,000 trees is no mean feat, by fostering community connection, Cedar Woods have been able to build a solid foundation for Bushmead estate,” said Tranter.
Residents were encouraged to connect further with nature, receiving seedlings at the event for them to take home and plant. The event was held at Archerfield Park, where the community enjoyed a lovely grazing board and refreshments while connecting with their neighbours.