It's in the Trees! - Soroptimist International

It’s in the Trees!

A round-up of just some of the projects taking place this year to build a greener future.

SI Townsville Breakwater, Region: SI North Queensland, Australia.

As Townsville is a City located in the tropics in the north of the Australian State of Queensland, it is a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, a natural wonder and the world’s largest system of coral reefs, mangrove and estuarine environments. Soroptimist Park is a significant ecological area which opens onto Cape Cleveland that contains the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Within this vast expanse (bigger than the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Holland combined), are a unique range of ecological communities, habitats and species – all of which make the Reef one of the most complex natural ecosystems in the world.

SI Townsville Breakwater is planning for the centennial year to hold an event at Soroptimist Park, located in the suburb of Rowes Bay, Townsville, Australia. With lawns, barbecue areas, shaded areas and an adventure playground, the park contains sculptures added in 1988 as an Australian Bicentennial project. Further public art, in the form of mosaic tile works, were completed in 1994 as part of the International Year of the Child.

The club approached Townsville City Council (TCC) Senior Arborist who agreed to promote a project in partnership with the TCC to plant 100 trees along the foreshore surrounding Soroptimist Park. Consideration is given to native plants that will be hardy to the shoreline environment as well as assist in the prevention of beach erosion.

Following further consultation with Council Parks and Gardens it was noted that the maintenance of 100 trees to reach maturity on the foreshore would be complex and maybe disappointing in the long term. However, the council suggested that the sand dunes in Soroptimist Park required restoration and conservation, as a significant indigenous and historical site within Cape Cleveland. This will have many trees planted and will be known as ‘Soroptimist Grove’.

The project and will take several years to complete, and will bring benefit both historically, and socially, contributing to the maintenance of and security of our Great Barrier Reef Heritage.

SI Beenleigh is negotiating a partnership with their Local Government Logan City Council to plant trees in 2021 for a project in the nearby Eagleby Wetlands.

The Eagleby Wetlands Reserve was rehabilitated by local people to preserve the natural environment and for the enjoyment of the community. The rehabilitation of this area includes improved habitat for local wildlife, new community facilities such as bird hides, park furniture, an amphitheatre, sport and recreation facilities, and innovative recycled water initiatives. The local Indigenous people, the Yugambeh, are the traditional custodians of the Eagleby Wetlands area. The area still contains evidence of the past activity of the Yugambeh with scarred trees and stone tools on the ground.

The wetlands provide an important habitat for waterbirds and reptiles, and is located adjacent to the Albert River. Featured in the wetlands are varied bird habitats such as melaleuca and brackish swamps, a freshwater lake, woodland, cane fields, and open grassland. More than 200 Australian native bird species have been recorded in the area, including 19 of the 24 Australian Raptors, and almost half of the bird species found in Queensland.

SI Mongolia has four clubs: SI Ulaanbaatar, SI Darkan, SI Erdenet and SI Amgalan, and all are involved in tree planting activities, mostly planting domestic trees, bushes and fir in the spring and autumn.

SI Ulaanbaatar planted 30 fir trees at Magic land II Children’s Center, Ulaanbaatar in 2019. On the occasion of the clubs’ 20th anniversary in 2020, members planted 100 trees to create a tree garden named after SI Ulaanbaatar Soroptimists in the Songinokhairkhan district. This year 50 trees will be planted in the spring.

In 2019, SI Darkhan funded a research programme for two post graduate students who planted 100 trees at Darkhan Province. On the occasion of the club’s 15th anniversary in 2020, members planted 15 fruit trees at the yard of the Sun Kids center, and this spring, they plan to plant a further 250 trees.

SI Erdenet created a tree garden in 2019 named after SI Erdenet Soroptimists with 100 trees. The club members also conducted a training on tree planting and protection amongst teenage girls from Shudder Girls’ center, Erdenet, and next year, (2022), in celebration of SI Erdenet’s 10th anniversary, the club will plant a further 100 trees at the tree garden.

SI Amgalan has also planted 100 bushes on the outskirts of the area to protect the spring for local herders and livestock and this year they intend to increase the number of the planted trees at spring reserve.

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