Building habitat for the future
By Emma Lucey 25 May 2026
National Tree Day is made possible by the thousands of individuals who volunteer their time each year to take positive action for the environment and their community. They are council staff, teachers, Landcare members, faith groups, community organisations and everyday people who want to connect with their community and be a force for good.
Ken Beasley has been working with Landcare and environmental groups, including being a long-time National Tree Day coordinator, for over 30 years. Ken is President of Northern Bendigo Landcare Group, and Treasurer of Iron Gully Friends Landcare Group. His tireless efforts in planting hundreds of seedlings, with support from lots of other contributors, has led to habitat revegetation and enhancement of public spaces in the Bendigo and Central Victorian region.
Having grown up in Wycheproof, a rural town halfway between Melbourne and Mildura, Ken developed his passion for nature through regular outdoor activities such as fishing with his father. Now, he actively seeks opportunities to share his environmental enthusiasm and encourage students to explore the wonders of nature; currently working with students from Epsom Primary School (Sawdust and Smiles project) to construct nest boxes at Huntly Men’s Shed, to be installed in the Bendigo Creek Reserve.
“Young people don't have the same exposure to nature to the extent we did back in my younger days; this type of activity provides the link,” said Ken.
Students gain practical hands-on skills constructing, assembling, and painting the nest boxes ready for installation. The nest box building activity is just one of the many activities the retiree packs into his busy weekly schedule of meetings for a range of community groups, however it is a very important one.
Schools play a pivotal role in educating future generations about environmental conservation. Hosting a planting event at a school can inspire students to become guardians of their environment. Ken works with a range of dedicated community groups, from schools to church groups, and various community and reference groups.
“It’s important to become involved in your community and integrate your activities for the greater benefit of the whole of community; it’s great to get everyone involved in learning about the natural environment.”
By seeking out opportunities to share his passion for the natural world, Ken hopes to ignite in others a lifelong commitment to the environment, leaving a lasting positive impact on native plants and animals for future generations to cherish.
“Recent seasons have been extremely challenging for revegetation activities with variable and low rainfall events. We continue to do our best and remain optimistic that seasonal conditions will ‘support’ our efforts; be patient, and the positive outcomes will eventuate. When you see the results, you think, “Wow, it’s all worth it!””
If you would like to host your own planting site, visit nationaltreeday.org.au/get-involved/host-a-site or get your school involved in Schools Tree Day nationaltreeday.org.au/get-involved/schools
Emma is a Sydney-based digital media and communications specialist. Prior to joining Planet Ark in 2022, Emma spent 5 years living abroad in London & Amsterdam, where she developed a greater interest in the environment and sustainability. Outside of work, Emma enjoys gardening, camping and bird watching.
