Greening Australia’s Ian Rayner is a firm believer that from tiny gumnuts mighty eucalypts will grow.
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To make the point he posed for this dramatic photograph with a sapling and a mature tree at Sunday’s Planet Ark National Tree Day planting at the McLeod’s Creek Nature Reserve.
The Canberra-born conservationist studied environmental science at the Australian National University and capped his academic career with an honours year examining revegetation techniques.
He regards his job as a labour of love and says one of the big joys of mass planting events such as the National Tree Day activities near Gundaroo is the chance to engage with like-minded people.
“Everyone who works with us (Greening Australia and Planet Ark) feels the same way,” he said. “We get volunteers from all walks of life; there is a mix of oldies, kids, regulars and people turning out for the first time. It is a real melting pot.”
Sunday’s brief was to recreate an unspoilt slice of pre-white settlement Australian woodland within 30 minutes of Canberra for the enjoyment of future generations.
It wasn’t all hard yakka. A site visit by a coffee van, a barbecue lunch and even live entertainment were all part of the attractions.