Falloon Family planting day

This week’s success story comes from Heather Falloon and her family from New South Wales, Australia. 

In late May 2024, the Family Falloon undertook a weekend tree-planting adventure to an environmentally sustainable cattle property near Rockley, on the south-west highlands. The Kildrummie Pastoral Company combines beef cattle production with regenerative farming techniques, using native trees and organic soil management on granite soil landscapes. The enterprise, owned and managed by Andrew McKibbin, has planted 18,000 trees over many years to boost land productivity. The Falloons joined a group of volunteers from the Rotary Club of Environment and Habitat to do the planting work.

Heather tells us that the day began with an acknowledgment of the traditional owners of the land, the First Nations Wiradjuri Peoples. Her two young sons embraced the day with great enthusiasm. She shares,  “Taking my two boys Alex and Archie tree planting was a fantastic experience in so many ways (active Buddhism for modern families). Family life can be so busy,  it was great spending a weekend out in the country planting trees and spending time together in nature.  No screens, no sibling fights and selflessly giving back to the environment and wildlife.  It was a chance for the adults to slow down as well and reconnect with each other and nature”.

She continued, “As we made our way up to the tree planting location, my boys complained a little, but as soon as we arrived, they got stuck in and didn’t stop all day! They absolutely loved it. Alex even took on a leadership-like role, coordinating all of us. The soil was very healthy with lots of worms which delighted the boys and we were careful not to harm them.”

On the day, the Falloons planted 170 mixed Eucalypt and Acacia trees, specially selected to provide habitat for a population of native koalas, which require certain types of gums in their diet. The trees were installed with tree guards to protect them from grazing Kangaroos. 

Heather says, “For lunch, we made an outdoor fire and heated up soup whilst enjoying the magnificent view. At the end of the day, we all felt such a great sense of achievement looking back at all the trees we had planted, and we discussed the many benefits we’d help create. It was a happy day with lots of laughing and smiling.” 

It is people and events, as Heather has described, that make GTI’s work so important and rewarding. Every tree counts. Nature is depending on us to do the right thing.