Dungog has been a major beneficiary of Greater Bank's 75 Year anniversary celebrations, receiving 5,000 native trees and shrubs planted on the bank of the Williams River.
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Greater Bank announced in August that it was planting 75,000 trees in the areas it calls home across regional NSW to mark 75 years of growing greater together.
Representatives from Sustaining the Williams Valley Community Group, along with Greater Bank employees and members of the community came together on Saturday to plant the first of more than 5000 trees, shrubs and ground cover plants earmarked for the site.
The planting is part of the Weeping Lilly Pilly Riparian Rainforest Restoration Project at Frank Robinson Park and involves restoration of endangered riparian rainforest vegetation along the southern bank of Williams River through planting and weed removal.
The project is of great significance to the area as few patches of Weeping Lilly Pilly Lowland Rainforest of Subtropical Australia still exist.
Greater Bank has been working with a number of community stakeholders including Dungog Shire Council and the Hunter Region Landcare Network in undertaking the project.
Local Landcare Coordinator for the Lower Hunter, Stacy Mail, said the tree planting undertaken by Greater Bank is set to have a positive impact on the Williams River project.
"The trees, shrubs and grasses planted across this site will assist in restoring and maintaining an important ecosystem in the area. The project will not only include greater biodiversity and habitat for all species, but stabilisation of soil and improved water quality" Ms Mail said.
"I want to thank Greater Bank's management and staff for the commitment and time they have put into this project and the preservation of our natural environment. This valuable initiative will deliver significant benefits to our community for many years to come."
Greater Bank Regional Manager, Jennifer Smith, said the tree planting projects are symbolic of the role Greater Bank has played in growing together with its communities over the past 75 years.
"As we reach our 75th year of operation, we're proudly celebrating the role we have played in helping the communities we call home grow greater," Mrs Smith said.
"It's important for us, that in celebrating the milestone, we contribute to a cause that is important to our customers. The need to protect and nurture the environment was a consistent message delivered by our customers, which is why we've committed to planting 75,000 trees throughout regional NSW.
"The trees will not only provide these communities with an ongoing legacy to mark this milestone, but as they grow, they will provide an enduring symbol of our commitment to social responsibility and sustained support of local communities," Jennifer said.
Once completed, the project will have a significant impact on local environments. Beyond the flora regeneration of the respective sites across regional NSW, collectively, the 75,000 trees will have the capacity to absorb 1,650,000kgs of carbon dioxide each year. That offsets 97 people per year and emissions from 600 cars.
