Nov 20, 2020
- Horticulture Services
- Parks & Gardens
- Project Management
- Sustainability
- Urban Issues
It seemed a straightforward mission: plant and monitor native shrubs across inner-city Melbourne, and in the process give jobs to 64 young people. But as this year has taught us, nothing is so simple.
The numbers are in, and Citywide’s Greening the City teams are the clear winners.
In June, the company appointed four teams of 13-14 young people who’d lost their jobs (opens in new window) as a result of Covid-19, and gave them a mission: to plant 150,000 native shrubs and grasses across Melbourne’s inner-city parks over a six-month period.
It may have seemed a tall order, but it was about to become a whole lot taller.
Two months later, the city entered its second hard lockdown, and all but four of the 64 Greening the City staff were furloughed with pay for 11 weeks. Six months suddenly became three and a half.
So it makes us incredibly proud to be able to announce that we will not only complete our planting on schedule by mid-December – we will smash it out of the park.
The art of pivoting
As with so much in 2020, the secret of success has been flexibility and pivoting. When our teams were furloughed in August, Citywide collaborated with the City of Melbourne and Outdoors Victoria to deliver an online study program entitled Nature Stewards (opens in new window) to 45 crew members who were directly involved in the planting work.
Held via Zoom, the program delivered 10 three-hour classes teaching our teams about the geology, climate, soils, and flora and fauna of Victoria, in the company of several seasoned conservationists and Aboriginal land managers.
“It was a fantastic course, which gave us so much knowledge and context for our planting, and just lifted everyone’s enthusiasm to a new level,” says Bec Neeson, who supervised one of the planting teams.
So in October, when the teams were able to return to work, they did so with a variety of new skills – and an unexpected boost.
“What we didn’t expect was to see the plants that we’d already planted had grown so much in the 11 weeks we were away,” says Bec. “That was a really great source of inspiration, to see what an important environmental contribution we were all making.”
Working for Victoria
By mid-December, the 64 crew members – whose salaries are paid through the State Government’s Working for Victoria fund – will have completed a variety of objectives designed to increase ground cover across some of Melbourne’s most important city reserves, including Royal Park, Parkville and the Dynon Road canal.
As well as planting 150,000 native shrubs, grasses and wildflowers, they’ve weeded and mulched the planting sites, watered and cared for the young plants, and laid paths across new garden beds. In addition, several members have been measuring and collecting data on 45,000 trees to inform progress of the City’s Urban Forest Strategy (opens in new window) – which aims to increase its canopy cover from 22% to 40% by 2040.
Bec, 26, has embraced the opportunity to lead a planting team, and says the hard work and commitment of her crew have left her feeling that anything is possible.
“We’ve been smashing it,” she grins. “We’ve been planting about 1,500 plants a day, and even with a break of nearly three months, we’ll easily reach our targets. There’s a really great vibe in this team – everyone’s enjoying the work and is very committed to handing over something we can all be proud of.”
A former theatre stage manager, Bec says her Greening the City experience has actually delivered her a new career. “Since July, I’ve used my evenings to do a Certificate 3 in horticulture at Swinburne, and I’ve really enjoyed that. It’s been really affirming for me doing this job, and living it in this way has made me realise that horticulture is my true calling.”
We’re so glad you answered that call, Bec!
Media Contact:
Simon Mossman - Group Corporate Communications
M 0427 307 216
E simon.mossman@citywide.com.au