‘Trees for Bees’ community planting

Gunnedah Urban Landcare Group and members of the local community gloved up for a morning of tree planting at Pensioners’ Hill recently.

The ‘Trees for Bees’ event aimed to promote the importance of hard-working pollinating insects including native and honey bees as well as other insects in the environment.

GULG secretary Wendy Carpenter said the tree planting site, at the base of Pensioners’ Hill near Farrer Road, was prepared well with weed control and well watered beforehand.

“It is really great to see such worthwhile projects take off and add benefit to our environment here in Gunnedah,” Ms Carpenter said.

She highlighted how bees play an important role in food production. It is estimated that one out of every three mouthfuls of food depend on bees.

Trees planted at the weekend were specially chosen for their value to pollinating insects and variety of flowering times. This will ensure a food source is available year-round.

As the plants become established, GULG members will also install insect hotels to provide habitat for the solitary living insects.