Planting has started at Bega Valley's Tabandy Farm for Rotary's Adopt-a-Tree program

They were greeted by the bright smiling and enthusiastic Tabitha Bilaniwskyj-Zarins, who is co-owner of Tabandy Farm with husband Andy, and is a qualified horticulturist and self-proclaimed "one woman shepherdess".

Due to an increase in serrated tussock, a drought tolerant grass, Ms Bilaniwskyj-Zarins said Rotary's Adopt-a-Tree project will be used to help regenerate and stop the invasive spread of this particular weed.

Wearing bright yellow and overseeing the planting was Rotary's environment director, Hugh Best, who said it was good to encourage younger people to volunteer.

"We hope more people come and help in this area.

"Rotary has established an avenue of service incorporating the environment, Adopt-a-Tree is one of those programs," said Mr Best.

Anna Cooke, a Year 9 teacher at Lumen Christi, said the project based learning (PBL) course allowed students to experience "hands-on learning away from the structured classroom environment".

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The excursion to Tabandy Farm also allowed students to meet a variety of animals - three camels, a donkey, a multitude of sheep, geese, peacocks, goats, and Frieda the dog who, when smiling, looked like a luck dragon.

"We're helping out, doing some community service, and it feels really good to do this volunteer work by planting trees at Tabandy farm," one of the students, Kirra Seenan, said

A total of 1500 trees will be planted, with a variety of blackwood, allocasuarina, brachychiton, and some eucalyptus.

"Mainly rainforest and open forest species," said Ms Bilaniwskyj-Zarins.

Cate Caddy, environment envoy for Rotary Club of Bega, said the program began on Australia Day in 2022, and more than 8000 trees had been adopted across NSW and the ACT so far, at $5 a tree.

"I think it's great and it is good to see it happening down here in the Valley," said Ms Caddy.

"We are looking for properties to do more tree plantings on, because as trees are getting adopted, and you might have seen there's over 8000 trees adopted so far, we're always on the lookout for places that need revegetation."

If there are any local farmers that have areas that may have been bushfire affected and they want to do some revegetation, they can get in touch with Rotary.

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