Paradoxa Collective artists were pleased to contribute to Planting Party, a community day of native tree and grass planting at sites around Naarm/Melbourne and afternoon of music, talks and workshops at Fed Square, celebrating all things plants.

Our workshop, ‘Grassroots action draw: postcards from friends’, invited participants make their own postcard inspired by plants and animals indigenous to Wurundjeri Country. On the back they wrote about their environmental concerns. Each card was sent to policy makers to encourage them to make positive changes for a healthier planet.

Participants included various ‘Friends of’ groups from around the metropolitan area who had spent the morning planting and weeding. These people had a strong sense of what was important to save and nurture in their area. Other participants included people who came for the afternoon event in the city and had a more general sense of biodiversity risks.

Following the success of our city workshop we were pleased to repeat it in November at Bioblitz, deep in the Toolangi State Forest. Bioblitz was organised by the Kinglake Friends of the Forest to audit endangered species in an area long scheduled for a ‘planned’ or prescribed burn as part of the Victorian Government’s bushfire mitigation program. Speakers explained that planned burns do more harm than good. Well over 100 people attended, conducting 15 surveys over 12 hours, and many writing postcards to explain their concerns to policy makers.

Participants documented 231 species, including many threatened and fire-sensitive species. Messages included:

‘Dear Minister, Today I visited Toolangi State Forest and learnt about the beautiful ‘damp forest’ plants under threat from planned burns - including this ‘Blanket Leaf’ which would otherwise grow into a small tree. I don’t believe this burn will make it safer, as bushy undergrowth will take its place. Please intervene and stop inappropriate burns.’