The activities in this step are the practical implementation of the planning undertaken to date. Ideally, students will be able to physically plant trees in the school environment to put their revegetation plan into action.

In this step, students will:

• practice safe working when active outdoors,

• plant trees and groundcover shrubs,

• learn how to look after the plants into the future, and;

• reflect on their positive impact on the local environment.

Outdoors is a fun place to be and we associate it with play like sport and running.  However, when we are working in the outdoors environment, there are certain things we need to do to stay safe.

To start with, we need to watch the weather forecast and check if it is going to be hot, cold or wet.  What should we wear to match the conditions? If it is hot we will need a sunhat and sunscreen. If it is cold, we will need warm clothes, maybe even a beanie. If it is wet, a raincoat and gumboots are a good idea. 

Whatever the weather, if we are working outdoors it is a good idea to wear strong, closed shoes like boots and remember that your shoes will probably get mud on them. 

People who work in the natural environment professionally wear long sleeves and long pants, boots, broad-brim hats and high visibility clothing.

If we are going to be working with soil, or vegetation we should always wear gloves.  This will protect us from germs and will stop scratches or splinters – think of them like a shield.  However, the gloves are not perfect so even after we take the gloves off, we should always wash our hands.

What else should we think about?

• Be careful where you walk – don’t step on plants, be aware of tripping on rocks and holes, or getting poked with sticks.

• When you are using tools, be cautious about waving them about and keep them low to the ground.  Always use tools properly and use the right tool for the job. For example, don't try to prune a branch with a pair of scissors, don’t try to dig a hole with a spoon (just like we don’t cut paper with secateurs and don’t eat yoghurt with a shovel).

• Look out for wildlife! Snakes, insects and spiders can be dangerous so avoid them. Just step away and call an adult. Remember, this is their home, so try not to kill things just because they scare you. They need somewhere to live just like you do.

•  Plan where to put the tree – think about the right plant for the right place.

•  You might need to prepare the site by removing weeds. This might be hand weeding or applying herbicide to grass or removing an old stump.

•  Dig a hole – The hole should be a bit bigger than the root system of the new plant.

•  You can add fertiliser, water crystals or compost to the bottom of the hole, but make sure it is appropriate for the plant type. Native plants require native fertilisers that are low in phosphorus. If you are planting species local to the area, then most of the time, no extras are required.

•  Water the holes well and wait for it to soak in.

•  Take the plant out of the pot or tube, being careful not to pull the stem off the roots.

•  Place the roots into the hole and make sure that the top of the rootball lines up with the top of the soil

•  Backfill the hole with soil and push down firmly with one    hand while holding the plant upright with the other.

•  Apply a layer of mulch all around the plant, leaving a bowl in the middle so that the mulch doesn’t cause rot on the new plant stem. The best mulch for new trees is woodchip.

•  Water, water, water and water some more.

Print this handy how-to guide here.