KEEPING RANDWICK'S TREES

2016 - ongoing

Even though we can no longer enjoy our Randwick Tree Walk for Tree Day route due to Light Rail construction and many of our beloved trees lost, we continue to remember and celebrate our efforts by planting and caring for trees each National Tree Day since 2016. Our Roots & Shoots group who engaged with and contributed to our past events are encouraged to grow their engagement in environmental issues through doing so. We are proud to facilitate this - and our trees are growing up healthy and strong!

October - December 2015

Tea, smiles & trees - that is what Morning Tree-Time was all about. We hosted these relaxed get-togethers in the lead-up to and beyond the People's Climate March 2015, because our trees belong to the world, a world faced with the challenge of climate change, and global change starts at home. And because the time we surely did have with our beautiful trees was not going to be taken away from us by those in power who continued to be unresponsive, choosing to do the wrong thing by removing our irreplaceable trees.
 

We were proud to provide a positive space to connect with so many caring people from the community who recognise the value & importance of keeping our trees. 

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Check out our video documenting the beautiful time we had with our special trees & what they meant to us.

6th December - 15th December

Our Roots & Shoots kids were joined by other Morning Tree-Time attendees in installing their beautiful Tree Talismans for Peace and other artworks along both Wansey Rd and Alison Rd. The artworks celebrated our threatened trees, what they meant to us, and how much we wanted and needed to keep them. 

The artwork encouraged passersby to take more careful notice of our trees that are too often taken for granted.

November 29 2015

A bunch of us were proud to walk for our beautiful trees as part of the People's Climate March in Sydney. With marches happening all over the world leading up to the COP21 event in Paris, we highlighted the important role trees have to play in mitigating the impacts of climate change. 

It's pretty simple really. Want to keep cool? Keep trees.

Click the image to see some more photos from the day!

September 20 2015

Our Keeping Randwick's Trees Roots & Shoots kids got together a day early to celebrate the International Day of Peace by each making a Tree Talisman for Peace. 

Their unique creations hung on two of our threatened trees near the corner of Alison Rd and Darley Rd, Randwick. They were made with the intention of protecting our trees from harm. We're sure the trees could feel the loving & peaceful feelings put into the making of their Talismans.

This activity went so well, the kids are going to make more! Our Roots & Shoots group is open so please contact us if you would like to join in. 

Ongoing

Ever emailed a tree..? Since we launched our interactive tree map at the Randwick Eco-Living Fair 2015, that's something you can actually do!

A few followers independently suggested this initiative after reading about the thousands of love letters sent to Melbourne City's trees after they set up their Urban Forest Visual to help them manage these invaluable assets into the future.

Now, you can send your favourite Randwick trees some love, confide in them - just express yourself. One of the best reasons to keep our trees is the fact that they hold special meanings for each of us, and we believe it's important to keep a record of this. But aside from all that, they're perfect listeners... Click here to see letters people have sent in. 

September 2015

We were happy to be at the Randwick Eco-Living Fair for the second time, raising awareness, and encouraging people to speak for the trees & to share their leafy ideas.

We had over a hundred new people subscribe with us so they could "Unleash their inner Treekeeper!"

You can also subscribe to receive our email newsletters here.

July 26th, 2015

We were overwhelmed by the support of more than 150 people who attended our 2nd Randwick Tree Walk for Tree Day event on National Tree Day!

We walked to celebrate Randwick's iconic, heritage trees. It was a lovely day to be out & about.

The event also raised awareness about the approved removal of over 400 trees in Randwick City for the Light Rail project, including many of these special heritage 'tree zones'.

We need to speak for our trees if we hope to have a happy 3rd Randwick Tree Walk for Tree Day next year!

We are thankful to have had the support of Randwick City Council for this event this year. 

Click on the image and see more pictures!

July 19th, 2015

We set our Roots & Shoots group off with their first activity. The children imagined what they might look like if they were trees. 

We recognise that apathetic attitudes & lack of understanding are some of the key underlying causes of the environmental crises we face.

We aim to educate, inspire & nurture environmental care through art & play. 

Our Roots & Shoots group is open to children of all ages, so if you know any youngsters who are keen to take part please contact us. 

July 2014 - December 2015

Now and then giant orange bows appeared to mark all the Randwick trees set to be removed. 

It was a temporary installation to draw attention to the plight of our trees, to raise awareness about this issue, and most importantly, to get people talking to each other about it (which they did and still do!).

Our orange bows inspired Randwick City Council to use orange in their signage campaign launched early December 2015.

Click on the image and see one of our tree portraits albums!

December 2014

Despite incredible community efforts for our trees over the year, even more trees were proposed for removal in the Light Rail project's suggested design modifications. But alright, "submissions (again) everyone..."

The project's contract was signed the day after submissions closed (how do you figure that...?). And the response to submissions acknowledged that of the top three concerns raised, tree loss was one of them.

They did not propose to do anything about that though. Our trees remain threatened. 

It seems that this NSW State government wants us to to admit defeat.

But don't worry - we won't if you don't... 

November 2014

With the help of a core group of followers and community member volunteers, we succeeded in gaining almost 600 signatures on a petition, requesting that fatal impacts to all of Randwick's trees be avoided.   Unfortunately, the 'response' from the Minister for Transport was disappointing to say the least. We were told (again) that 'the trees will be replaced' & 'High Cross Park is the best transport solution'.   Obviously, we disagree (hence the petition). You can't replace our trees, and any 'solution' that destroys community isn't a solution at all.   

September 2014

We were at the Randwick Eco-Living Fair providing information about the extent of the approved tree removal and encouraging people to take action.Some people recognised our bows. Others had no idea about the approved tree removals and were shocked to find out.We invited attendees to share their thoughts about why preserving Randwick's trees is important to them. They wrote on chalkboards and we took photographs, linking them through #SaveRandwickImprovedLightRail on Facebook. Click on the image and see more pictures!

July 2014

We coordinated this community event with Planet Ark's National Tree Day. We walked along the approved Randwick branch of the Light Rail route to show support for the 270 trees set to be removed there.Local cafes, schools and the media helped to promote the event and around 100 people showed up on the day.We were joined by Sydney Metropolitan Wildlife Services at the High Cross Park finish line, who brought two grey-headed flying foxes with them to educate participants about how these native and endangered animals use the various theatened trees in our area.Attendees also shared their thoughts about trees on interactive chalboards at the finish line. Click on the image and see more pictures!

December 2013

We first connected with the community through Facebook (as Save Randwick Improved Light Rail) and the local media to encourage all to make submissions to the Light Rail's EIS. We asked for our almost 500 threatened Randwick trees to be preserved instead through improved Light Rail design. We rejected the 'replacement trees' proposal, because our trees are irreplaceable.Our concerns were acknowledged in the response to submissions, but unfortunately the proposed tree removal was still approved by the Minister for Planning & Infrastructure.