Hi Landcarer’s

I was fortunate to be part of National Simultaneous Reading Day this week.

It was especially significant as the title of the book was Family Tree. A book written by Josh Pike and illustrated by Ronjoy Ghosh and published by Scholastic.

There were over two million people reading this book at exactly the same time. A pretty special event.

It got me thinking about the connection that we have with trees and plants, even though many of us might not realise. A scent or a texture can bring back a memory from childhood. A chance to remember those people who might have planted the seed, watered it, weeded, mulched it or just enjoyed its shade or beauty.

I often think about the gardens of relatives when I was growing up and how the smells and gardens really stuck in my memory of a person.

I remember sitting under camphor laurels with my grandfather and just…talking, patting the dogs and hearing about times gone by, or the smell of daphne in my grandmothers garden as we brushed past it playing catch around the house.

Its funny how a simple children’s book can encapsulate all of these types of memories, visitors, scars and happiness in probably less than 150 words

If you get a chance to have a look at the book…even online you will appreciate the gorgeous illustrations and simple words….it started with a seed.

I challenge you to think about the green spaces in your yard, street and community as a whole. The impact of urban heat in our streets and homes, particularly for people living in largely built up areas is considerable, which is one of the reasons that we always need to factor in trees in our urban settings.

We also know that we need these trees in our parks and gardens to improve aesthetics, increase our mental wellbeing and encourage people to get outside.

There have been many studies undertaken connecting mental health and wellbeing in general with nature.

You have opportunities for your to make memories and plant a tree during National Tree Day in Forbes on 30 July and Parkes on 31 July. Go to our website to follow the links to register. We will have giveaway plants courtesy of Bunnings for our volunteers to take home and hopefully create a new memory in their own space.

For further information on this article, please go to www.centralwestlachlanlandcare.org, twitter, facebook or Instagram @cwllandcare