Benalla Lions have received $2500 to plant trees in its memorial garden to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee.
The trees will be Australian natives, adding to the existing floral establishment.
More than $90,000 will flow to Indi to plant trees across the electorate as part of the celebrations.
Federal Member for Indi Helen Haines congratulated Benalla Lions, and the other eight successful groups from across the electorate, on receiving the federal funding.
“These projects are unique and will improve towns across Indi, both environmentally and visually,” Dr Haines said.
“Increasing tree cover is good for local wildlife and for keeping us cooler in the warm Summer months.
“Planting trees to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will leave a lasting reminder of the significant length of service of Her Royal Highness for decades to come.”
Benalla Lions Secretary David lowing said Lion Chris Vaughan was leading the tree-planting program.
“Chris has the Men’s Shed kindly helping out making us some tree guards,” Mr Lowing said.
“The guards should be ready by the end of August, then the team will get planting.
“They will be putting them in at the Lions Memorial Garden at Moira Reserve.
“The trees are all natives and we have a mix of medium, and some taller, trees.”
Other tree planting projects funded include 700 trees to be planted by the Wodonga Urban Landcare Network; Mature eucalyptus trees to be planted by Yarrunga Primary School in Wangaratta; and Elm trees to be planted around the Mansfield showgrounds by the local A&P Society.
The Planting Trees for the Queen’s Jubilee Program is supporting eligible groups and organisations to honour the queen and the legacy of her achievements during the year of her Jubilee through community-based commemorative tree planting events.
Planting regionally appropriate species that enhance the tree canopy will also leave a legacy of its own — in the form of trees flourishing across the nation for Australians to enjoy into the future.
The program provides each federal electorate up to $100,000 in grants for up to 10 projects nominated by the local federal member of parliament, in consultation with their local community.
Grants range from $2500 to $20,000 per project.
The Australian program complements the Plant a Tree for the Jubilee initiative in the United Kingdom and other similar programs across the Commonwealth.