Boral Living Green – Staff Volunteers

 

 

Neville - Concrete Manager Far North Qld

The Living Green project was very well organised and I did enjoy the Boral Staff Day immensely.  It was great to get out of the office for some hands on work and it felt good to give something back to the Environment.  I will definitely join up again next year.

The Living Green program reinforces Boral’s environmental commitment by providing Boral employees with opportunities to participate in projects that enhance important community green spaces. The energy and enthusiasm of Boral employees across Australia is harnessed in a positive way through their involvement in local community projects.

Darren - Midland Brick Clay Division: Team Leader/Supervisor

Why volunteer today?

Sounded interesting, and it was a chance to get out and see something different with the company. Midland Brick is a large company, and therefore has a large responsibility to the community to be involved with these projects. I’m mainly off site working at the sites before any clay is removed to check quality, type etc. Doing this I get to see what happens at the end. Midland Brick is one of the few companies that make an effort to redevelop their sites after we have taken clay from them.

 

What did you do?

The formwork before the concrete was poured, such as moving the rocks, ensuring the area was ready etc. Once the concrete arrived, wheeling down the concrete from up top to where it was needed using a wheelbarrow.

 

Tom - Midland Brick Despatch Yard

Why volunteer today?

As an employee, we do what we can to help out, and at the end of the day, who is going to do it if no one volunteers. Someone has to do it. As a large company we definitely need to do the right thing, a lot of the staff who work here at Midland Brick live in the area, so its great for us to be a part of these projects as they affect us directly.

 

What did you do?

The formwork before the concrete was poured and helped with the concrete pouring.

Craig - Midland Brick Despatch

What did you do?

Helped with formwork and carrying concrete on the wheelbarrows.

 

Have you taken part in any other environmental projects?

No this is my first one; I’m interested to take part in other ones though. They’re a chance to get out of the office and do something great for the company.

 

Hayley - Midland Brick Retail sales – Home Base Subiaco

Is this your first community project?

Yes, I’m really keen to do more though; I study Community Development at university so this is a great way to broaden my experiences etc. Many Midland Brick employees live in the area, therefore its important for MBC staff to get involved as it is part of the community they are living in.

 

Elke – Communications Officer - Property, Development & Environment

I have been involved in two CVA projects in Queensland, North Pine River Project at Dayboro (North Brisbane) and Barron River Revegetation Project in Cairns.

 

I believe the involvement of Boral employees in such projects is significant, as they can see the benefits first hand of the CVA partnership and what’s being completed as a part of this work in their back yard.  Employees have the opportunity to get involved, network with the local community, CVA volunteers and also with employees of other Boral business units in the area.

 

When first approached, employees are sometimes sceptical, however in my experience Boral employees walk away feeling really good about themselves, good about Boral’s partnership with CVA and enthusiastically volunteer for the next project.

 

As an organiser of CVA projects, I really appreciate the support of Boral Management and employees, especially when projects are outside south-east Queensland and local knowledge is vital to the success of the project.

 

Greg - Boral Living Green at Stockton Beach

Boral Living Green is an exciting community-business partnership between Boral and Conservation Volunteers Australia that assists communities to restore and maintain important community green spaces across Australia.

 

During the last week of June Boral Construction Materials in conjunction with Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA), assisted in the rehabilitation of the dunal systems near Stockton as part of the Living Green program. A team of local and international volunteers from the United States and Canada called the International Student Volunteers (ISV) and members of the Stockton Dunecare Group participated in the week.

 

The wind blown dunes of Stockton Beach are the largest continuous mobile sand mass in New South Wales. Annually Boral Construction Materials has been assisting in the removal of rubbish from Stockton beach as part of an annual beach clean up drive, with this latest project intended to show our continued commitment to the local community and environment.

 

Stockton beach has some remnant dunal vegetation, however is infested with Bitou bush. Bitou bush is a noxious weed in NSW. It was planted widely along the NSW coast between 1946 and 1968 to reduce dune erosion, but spread rapidly. It is now found along 80 per cent of the state's coastline. Native to South Africa, bitou bush invades native coastal heathlands, grasslands, woodlands and forests. It grows quickly and forms dense stands, replacing native plants and destroying the habitat of native animals.

 

During the week the group of volunteers carried out activities including the removal of rubbish, Bitou Bush and replanting the site with over 400 native species to reduce erosion, increase dune stabilisation and to improve habitat.

 

On June 28th the volunteers were treated to a special BBQ lunch put on by Alex Nicetin, Paul Monger and Rebecca Jackson from Seaham Quarry, Rod Wallace from Metro Quarries and Greg Johnson, ACM NSW. This was a great opportunity for the volunteers and Boral staff to get together to see the difference people can make to their local environment and discuss the benefits of volunteering. It was also a chance for the visiting students to meet the ‘locals’ and learn more about the Australian way of life.

 

Thanks to all the Boral staff who helped out with the BBQ and assisted the volunteers on the day with weeding and planting.

 

How can we be part of Boral Living Green?