Student Achievement
Planting Trees for National Eucalypt Day
30 March
Wednesday 23 March was National Eucalypt Day and in recognition of this day, Lachlan Andrews from Civica-ArborSafe (Arborist company) donated 20 trees and recyclable tree guards to Damascus to raise awareness of this icon group of Australian trees.
Students spent their Horticulture class planting these native trees with Lachlan’s assistance and guidance, along the Commemorative Walk, located out back of the campus. During the planting, students dug holes and gained a greater insight into how large the trees might grow and their uniqueness to this area.
Big thanks to Civica-ArborSafe for their generosity, this gift and the work the students did yesterday, will improve the natural environment at Damascus, and engage staff and students in the numerous, positive physical, mental and environmental aspects they foster.
The species planted yesterday was Eucalyptus aromaphloia (Scent-bark). This species is a small to medium-sized tree endemic to Victoria, occurring roughly west from a line between Daylesford and Anglesea, and west to about Casterton. It has a small natural distribution but is locally common in several areas in and around Ballarat such as Mount Helen, Mount Clear, Canadian and Creswick. The species is also common across the Damascus College campus, hence its selection for planting today. In natural ecologies it can form pure stands, but is often seen growing in association with other Eucalypts such as Eucalyptus obliqua (Messmate Stringybark) and Eucalyptus dives (Broad-leaved Peppermint).
