Tree guardians: Olivia, age 10 and James, age 7

Describe the personality or look of your tree.

Olivia: our tree is small, cute, innocent and happy to be the smallest tree with beautifully shaped leaves.

 James: this young tree is very green and is a welcoming tree, like a playground patron greeter and it is close to a CoVID 19 council sign.

 Why is this tree important to you?

Olivia: this tree is a home to all kinds of bugs and we need to look after it so one day it will be big and strong enough to climb. It is important to me because, at the base, we found a great hiding place for our CoVID 19 reciprocal nature treasure hunts with local families during the lockdowns of this year.

 James: Because of its size, it makes me feel that I need to protect and care for it. Bugs don't have to share it with human tree climbers because it's so little and it's a nice focal point for when we are stepping on the last of the tree stumps, a few metres away.

 What does a sustainable future look like in Monash?

Olivia: There will be less rubbish and soft plastics left in public places. There will be more community trading and social connection, more rain harvesting and more dependence on solar and wind power to run domestic households. There will be an increase in skill sharing amongst the community. Birds and bugs will be valued, welcomed and invited into our local backyards to set up homes and we will provide safe havens and protection to all native creatures from natural predators and environmental conditions (heatwaves).

 James: There will be more trees and plants and there will be more opportunities for planting native flora. There will be more community garden produce sharing, recycled-paper bags and recycled cardboard containers will replace plastic packaging where practical in the supermarkets and there will be less dependency on the shops for fresh in-season locally grown fruit and vegetable produce.

 What are you doing right now to create that future?

Olivia: Our family have reduced their purchasing of packaged vegetables and fruit and other heavily packaged grocery items where practical. We pick up rubbish everytime we visit our local playgrounds and encourage our playground friends to join the clean up. We purchase locally made honey and we leave shallow water bowls for the birds and bees to drink from on hot summer days. We harvest our rainwater in tanks and collect cold shower water for watering our backyard garden.

 James: We recycle and upcycle our plastic mesh onion, lemon and garlic bags to make crafts and gifts for family and friends. Our family use the power of the sun to dry our clothes and towels on sunny days. We are involved in local council and surrounding council native flora planting days. Our family have shared the produce (Silverbeet, strawberries, tomatoes, chillies, baby spinach) from our community garden located in Mackie Rd Neighbourhood House with friends and family. We move slowly and quietly in our green spaces in the back and front yards to invite opportunities for close observation of bird life and to build trust with these creatures in these shared spaces.

 Where is your tree located?

Our adopted tree lives near the playground at Southern Reserve in Mulgrave. It is on the Rupert Drive entrance located on the left side of the walking/bike path leading to the playground.