Swan Hill Rural City Council has joined forces with Calder Permaculture to implement innovative ways of reducing their environmental footprint.
Council’s Director Infrastructure, Leah Johnston said when Mr Calder made contact about re-using plastic items, including chemical shuttles, pots, and trays to plant more trees and shrubs, our Parks and Gardens team immediately supported the idea.
“Calder Permaculture has procured two 1000-litre shuttles for repurposing. These shuttles will be refilled with nutrient-rich worm juice, which is being trialled as a natural fertiliser. They have also acquired four 200-litre drums that will be converted into planter pots for growing stock for our gardening program.
"We are committed to discovering new ways to support sustainability and reduce our carbon footprint.
“Since July, Calder Permaculture has collected over 60 large pots and 50 trays from Council, repurposing them for tree and shrub planting. This initiative directly addresses the plastic waste generated by our annual tree planting program.
"The repurposing of plastic items for planting is a practical solution to reducing landfill waste. We are seeing tangible benefits from this collaboration,” she said.
In addition to this initiative Council’s Parks and Gardens Coordinator, Conor McCreesh said Calder Permaculture had also collected seeds, under the guidance of qualified council staff, from Council Lephostemon confertus (Queensland Box) and Corymbia citriodora (Lemon Scented Gum) trees.
“The seeds collected will be nurtured on the farm until they become advanced trees and then replanted throughout our municipality, contributing to the greening of our community.
"Our partnership with Calder Permaculture is about finding innovative ways to be more sustainable and we look forward to continuing to expand our efforts, in this space,” Mr McCreesh said.
Ms Johnston said the ongoing partnership underscored Council's dedication to environmental sustainability and innovative waste reduction solutions.
"Calder Permaculture’s innovative approach to reusing plastic items and incorporating sustainable practices into our programs is truly commendable,” Ms Johnston added.
For more information, please contact Council on 5036 2333.