Corporate Groups
Who can join the Friends in taking action for biodiversity?
Your team can take positive action to help the endangered species in our community including Victoria’s faunal emblems, the critically endangered Helmeted Honeyeater & the endangered Leadbeater’s Possum! Corporate groups are encouraged to talk to us about our corporate volunteering days.
It’s not too late to act but the time to act is now.
In 2010 we planted over 12,000 plants with corporate groups. In 2011 we planted 16,688 indigenous trees, shrubs and grasses at Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area.
Our total revegetation for 2018 was 31,152 plants. This was all done with volunteer participation through schools, corporate and community groups – a massive effort!
We are now taking bookings for our 2023 planting season
Can you help? Our planting year normally runs from April to November, but can occur outside of these times when conditions are favourable. Will you be part of the team? We hope so!
Would you like to know more or book your work place? Then send us an email at: environmentalcoordinator@helmetedhoneyeater.org.au
The Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater have two major aims:
- To protect existing habitat and plant future habitat for the Helmeted Honeyeater
- To raise awareness about the plight of the Helmeted Honeyeater and enlist broad community support for the Recovery project.
With this in mind, we offer two main activities to corporate volunteers, both located in Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area in the Yarra Valley (approx 50km east of Melbourne):
- planting day/s. Family involvement is welcomed. Suitable for children 5 years old+
- nursery day/s in our community nursery
All activities are undertaken under the supervision and direction of either our Environmental Coordinator or Nursery Manager. All equipment is supplied with full orientation to the days activities provided.
We invite you to participate each year to grow and/or plant more plants and check on the progress of trees and shrubs that have been planted in previous years. We experience strong growth rates and a fantastic 90-95% success rate with our plantings. Is it worthwhile putting in the energy and time to plant with us? Absolutely!
Our program can incorporate a mix of the following:
- Revegetation at Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area (YNCA). Loss of habitat is the major threat to biodiversity. Children and adults alike can do something positive to ensure our State emblems, along with the many plant and animal species that co-exist with them, don’t become extinct
- Guided bushland discovery walk
- Community nursery day (adult groups only – limited bus parking)
- Interactive PowerPoint presentation. The issues for threatened species with a focus on the Helmeted Honeyeater. What is biodiversity? What can everyone do to help?
Our revegetation days are contingent on the ongoing support of organisations such as Melbourne Water (through their Community Grants Program), Parks Victoria (through their Healthy People Healthy Parks Grant Program) and Federal Government (through Caring For our Country Community Action grants) to fund planting activities. To secure most grants the Friends need to match them $ for $. We welcome matched giving or donations from corporate groups. Your group or the individuals who participate may also like to take out Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater membership ($20 p/a for groups/non-concession & $10 for concession card holders) as a positive action to assist in biodiversity conservation.
We suggest these volunteering activities for your group:
| Options | Program outline | Time allowance required |
| Option 1 ~ Planting day NB. Minimum of 8 people. Maximum of 50 people | – Revegetation (planting of habitat plants) – Guided bushland walk to get to the planting site – Brief nursery tour on arrival | Minimum 4 hours. Maximum 6 hours. 9.30am arrival. 10.00am start. (with meal breaks – BYO. Tea/coffee provided on arrival) |
| Option 2 ~ Community nursery day NB. No minimum. Maximum of 20 people | Nursery activities including: – Propagation – Mulching – Planting & maintenance of display gardens | 3-5 hours b/w 10.00am – 3.00pm. (with meal breaks – BYO lunch. Morning tea supplied) |
Safety considerations
The Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater (the Friends) make every effort to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for participants. Please notify us of any special considerations regarding participant welfare and specific needs when making a booking.
- The Friends Education Coordinators and/or Nursery Manager provide the equipment & training to undertake the activities safely
- The Friends Education Coordinators and/or Nursery Manager have Level 2 First-aid and carry a mobile phone & first-aid kit
- Group supervisors should also carry first aid kits, mobile phones and emergency contact numbers at all times
- All participants should wear sensible outdoor clothing – preferably long trousers, long sleeved shirts, sturdy shoes, sunscreen and hats. In wet weather gumboots are advisable.
Postponements due to high fire risk days / Extreme weather
To ensure the safety of all participants, excursions to Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area do not operate on days of high fire risk or high winds. In the event of extreme weather conditions the Friends will contact the group supervisor about postponing the event. We endeavour to give as much warning as possible and visits can be rescheduled. Please advise the Friends of your group’s policy.