More than 100 volunteers got their hands dirty at Lake Canobolas on Sunday when they joined in Australia's largest tree planting event Planet Ark's National Tree Day.
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Orange City Council hoped to plant about 800 native tube stock on the day, in the open space on the northern side of the amenity blocks, which will complement shrubs planted in the same area a few years ago.
However, the council's Natural Resources coordinator Roger Smith said they had so much interest they brought along 1000.
Most of those trees had been planted by 10.30am.
"It's great its a really good time out," he said.
"I think the day has been successful.
"That's the thing about the Orange community they do support these events. About a month ago when we had a that heavy rain, about 10 people turned up and planted about 70 trees."
The council's Environmental Sustainability Policy Committee chairman David Mallard was also pleased with the turnout and said National Tree Day is a great opportunity for residents to connect with both nature and the community, do something for the local environment and experience the many benefits of spending time outdoors.
He said it was an opportunity for people to learn more about the flora and fauna of the region and how their contribution is helping the planet, providing habitat for native wildlife and making the community a better place to live.
The event was sponsored by Toyota and several staff members from Toyota and West Orange Motors attended the planting day with their families.
Orange joeys, cubs and scouts also participated.
Joeys leader Janelle Roarty Calder planned the event for the joeys and the older groups also showed an interest so she opened it up to the whole group.
Although this was the first one she hoped they could make it an annual event.
Nick King from the Environmentally Concerned Citizens of Orange (ECCO) was thrilled with the turnout.
"It's really good to see all the parents with young children out here," Mr Kind said.
"It's a really positive experience."
He was particularly happy about them being educated on the trees and being able to see them mature year after year.
This year's local National Tree Day planting exercise complemented community planting activities that have been held over the past 20 years in the Orange region.
In that time, it is estimated more than 35,000 native trees, shrubs and grasses have been planted in parks, reserves, wetlands and open spaces across the city, with 2270 of those planted in the last financial year alone.
Since Planet Ark's National Tree Day started in 1996, more than 26 million trees have been planted across the country, and the goal for this year is to plant a further one million trees.
Bill Josh leads tree two tree planting events each month in Orange and said he usually gets between 12 and 20 volunteers, including the 10 who turned up in the rain a couple of weeks ago.
Next Sunday the tree planting will be at Waratah Wetlands off Diamond Drive and on August 28 it will be at Millard Park at 9 Gallipoli Place.
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