Trees for Schools 2025 – Daylesford Dharma School, Australia
A story by Heather Falloon
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Theme:
“My Day, My Rights”
“Invest in Our Children’s Future”

World Children’s Day invites us to listen to children’s voices and invest meaningfully in their future. At Daylesford Dharma School, an award-winning, independent school renowned for its innovative, nature-based, and child-led learning, these values are not just themes, but daily practice. This year, as part of the Global Tree Initiative’s Trees for Schools 2025 project, the school has embarked on a beautiful and ambitious journey: planting 500 native trees on the school grounds to regenerate habitat, restore biodiversity, and empower students as young stewards of Country.

Learning while having fun!

A school where children lead, learn, and belong
Daylesford Dharma School is a not-for-profit institution offering an enriching education grounded in academic excellence, creativity, ecology, and Buddhist principles of kindness, compassion, mindfulness, and ethical action. Students experience a daily social-emotional curriculum aligned with the Australian Curriculum General Capabilities, and a school culture shaped by the Five Precepts.

Here, children are supported to understand themselves, each other, their environment, and their place in the world. By nurturing self-awareness, curiosity, and moral character, the school prepares young people for a resilient and meaningful transition into secondary education and beyond.

Nature-based learning plays a central role. Science comes alive outdoors; creativity is embedded in daily practice; and students are encouraged to think critically, solve real-world problems, and build confidence through hands-on learning. The Trees for Schools project is a fantastic expression of these values in action.

The Trees for Schools project at Daylesford Dharma School is a child-led ecological initiative to plant 500 native trees and plants across the school grounds. The project combines hands-on learning with the schools’ values of mindfulness, creativity and care for Country. Students design, plan and help implement nature-based solutions such as water-harvesting basins, while learning about biodiversity, ecology and sustainable design. This project will create habitat, restore the landscape and empower children as young environmental stewards shaping their own future.

Barry (right), checking if the holes are dug deep enough

A Journey begins: Planting Day 6th November 2025
On a sunny spring morning, around twelve excited students stepped into a transformative outdoor learning experience- planting 50 native trees and plants around the school grounds. Even Barry, the beloved fur-team member, joined the fun and charmed everyone along the way.

But this day was about far more than digging holes.

Along the school’s nature path, students proudly presented their learnings, sharing observations about soil, water, plants, and habitat with confidence and joy, true examples of “My Day, My Rights” as they voiced their ideas and experiences.

Child-led water conservation innovation
One of the most inspiring outcomes was the students’ role in designing and building water interception basins to capture runoff and support the survival of young plants. These clever earth basins slow and store water moving down the pathways, allowing moisture to soak deeply into the planting beds. The students shaped the mounds using site soil, positioned species that love “wet feet,” and why good water design is essential in fast-draining soils was discussed.

This was science, design, ecology, and critical thinking – brought to life through hands-on learning.

Making it muddy!

Planting Day 19th November 2025

A fantastic way to celebrate World Children’s Day!
Today, the school turned out in full force, with around 30 children participating. Our dedicated landscape architect, Mark Allaway began the day with a demonstration on water flow, drainage, and how the basins work. “There was water and mud everywhere,” Mark laughed, “and they really got into the whole slope / run-off / water-saving concept.”

The morning was joyful, chaotic, muddy, and deeply educational. Students planted 120 native trees and plants, learned about land care, and saw firsthand how thoughtful design supports ecological health.

Children designing their future!
This year, many students have stepped into leadership roles within a big vision for their school grounds. One student, Raf, has been designing a master plan involving the nature trail, bike track, and now incorporating the tree-planting project.

“I feel like our school doesn’t really have any trees and we need more trees,” he said.

When asked what difference new trees would make, he answered thoughtfully, “More animals will come, like bees… and if the tree is climbable, we can climb it.”

Other children shared their thoughts on why they were happy and grateful for the Global Tree Initiative’s support:
“Because I love seeing all the animals.”
“Because it’s nature. Trees are so good for us and good for oxygen, plus they provide more shade.”
One girl passionately shared, “It’s also beautiful because nature is good for us, we need trees to breathe.”

These heartfelt reflections are a testament to the power of listening to children’s voices and empowering them to shape a healthier, happier world.

Check out the video below!

More than planting trees, we’re creating a living classroom
The Trees for Schools project has become a multidimensional learning journey grounded in:
• Ecology & biodiversity
• Water-wise design & conservation
• Critical thinking & problem solving
• Teamwork & community learning
• Mindfulness & care for Country
• Creativity, observation & design thinking
This is education that nourishes both the mind and the heart. Empowering children to care and connect with Country build’s identity, belonging, and resilience – core to the Dharma School’s mission.

Thank You to our community
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has contributed to these amazing days of learning and planting:
Mark Allaway, landscape architect and mentor and all his hard work preparing for the planting days, digging holes and defining path boundaries. Jill Lancashire, who made up the tree guards, and her filming on the day helped capture the children’s voices for World Children’s Day.

Neville, Mel and the planting team for preparation work, clearing weeds, digging holes, and supporting the team.

Rachel and all the amazing schoolteachers, parents, and volunteers who nurture this journey.

And most of all – the incredible students, whose vision is transforming their school and their future. Your efforts are not only growing trees, but nurturing the next generation of environmental changemakers.

Looking Ahead
With more planting days planned -and 500 trees as the goal – this project will continue to blossom. As the trees grow, so too will the students’ sense of stewardship, belonging, and responsibility.

We cannot wait to watch what grows next:
in the soil, in the school grounds, and in the hearts of these young guardians of the Earth.

*Some images were taken from Facebook