CQU staff get dirty for a good cause

Known for its well-manicured and lush foliage' the Rockhampton North campus is home to over 60 new trees thanks to eager volunteers who weren't afraid to get their hands dirty in support of National Tree Day last week.

After the removal of overburden soil from the School of Mining Project' Director of Facilities Management' Ron Tollasepp' developed a concept to build a berm wall to provide a visual and sound barrier from the Yeppoon/highway intersection.

The Directorate of Facilities Management (DFM) has been busy installing irrigation systems to ensure their planting efforts coincided with National Tree Day.

Mr Tollasepp said this is the first year CQUniversity has participated in this initiative.

"We are committed to supporting the environment and following our recent Clean Up Australia Day effort across many of our campuses' we are proud to be involved in this activity as well'" he said.

"We had 29 staff volunteer to help plant more than 60 trees. The trees planted have been selected as they are best suited to the local conditions and have been planted in specially prepared locations to provide benefit to the campus both visually and for sound barriers and will be supported during the life of the tree.

"We expect this will be an ongoing annual event that we will also expand to other campuses."

There are more than 100 trees ready to be planted at the Rockhampton North campus as soon as the DFM team complete further soil preparations.

Each year the DFM team undertake considerable planting efforts as part of the campus beautification projects. The team plan to expand this initiative to the other CQUniversity campuses in the coming years as opportunities present themselves.

Deputy Director of the Facilities Management Directorate' Wayne Milsom' expressed his gratitude towards those who volunteered.

"I would like to express my sincerest thanks to all those who volunteered to assist us on the day'" he said.

"A special thank you to both CQUni's Plant Scientist Associate Professor Nanjappa Ashwath for providing us with his botanical knowledge and demonstration' and Associate Vice-President Kim Harrington for her continual support and hands on approach."

National Tree Day was founded in 1996 by Planet Ark and Olivia Newton-John. Their events see over 1 million trees' shrubs and grasses planted across Australia each year.

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