Toyota Australia is this year celebrating an incredible milestone of 25 years of support to Australia’s largest annual tree-planting events, Planet Ark’s Schools Tree Day and National Tree Day.
Organised by Planet Ark in partnership with Toyota, Schools Tree Day and National Tree Day takes place on Friday 26 July and Sunday 28 July respectively, with local Toyota dealerships across the country getting involved and assisting local schools, councils and community groups with various planting activities.
For more than two decades, approximately 5 million volunteers have rolled up their sleeves to participate in these annual tree-planting events, contributing to the planting of 27 million native trees, shrubs and grasses nationwide.
Toyota Australia Chief Marketing Officer, Vin Naidoo said Toyota and its dealer network are incredibly proud to be celebrating its 25th year supporting Planet Ark’s National Tree Day this year.
“The ongoing support through this important partnership demonstrates Toyota’s commitment to sustainability and maintaining our native Australian environment.”
“As we mark this impressive milestone, we encourage all Australians to get outdoors in nature and plant a native tree or shrub to contribute to the 27 million trees already planted,” Mr Naidoo said.
A number of Toyota dealers have supported Planet Ark’s National Tree Day since the partnership began, making an invaluable contribution to their communities through local planting events and initiatives.
Queensland based Don West Toyota, is one of those aforementioned dealers, and has been involved in National Tree Day for the last 25 years.
Don West Toyota has played a pivotal role in regenerating a number of planting sites in the heart of Ayr, thanks to their commitment to local planting events.
Darren West, Don West Toyota Dealer Principal, said the first planting site took place at the Ayr Racecourse and has been completely transformed, which is a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together.
“Originally, it was a racecourse with no trees and now it's just full of gum trees. We've planted a hell of a lot of trees there over the years and the once-barren site is now filled with eucalyptus, bottlebrush, and various other native species, providing a backdrop for wedding photos and a serene escape for locals," he shares.
“Today, the old Ayr Racecourse stands as a lush, green oasis and it’s hard to believe that you can't see through the track anymore because it’s completely filled with trees, a stark contrast to its racing days."
Clare Valley Toyota in South Australia is marking 23 years of support for National Tree Day, while Bill Robertson Toyota (QLD), Torque Toyota (QLD), Nyngan Toyota (NSW) and Ian Weigh Toyota (QLD) are all celebrating 20 years of support.
Rebecca Gilling, Planet Ark CEO, said Toyota Australia and its dealer network have been invaluable to the National Tree Day program since signing on as Major Sponsor in 1999.
“We could not have achieved the results we have through the National Tree Day program without the ongoing support by Toyota Australia to Planet Ark and the many dealerships that have supported community planting events around the country.”
“Our relationship over the last quarter century is unique in terms of its length and closeness and is testament to Toyota’s care for building a greener future in Australia,” Gilling said.
131 Toyota dealerships will be involved in Schools Tree Day and National Tree Day events across Australia and will be providing useful gear for planting days including items such as hats, gloves, tree guards, seedlings, and vouchers.
For those who can't attend Planet Ark's National Tree Day events this year, another way to connect with nature is through donations to The Seedling Bank - a program launched in 2019 that supplies native seedlings to schools and community groups around Australia.
To find a local planting event visit: https://treeday.planetark.org/find-a-site/ or visit a local participating Toyota Australia Dealership.
