The Men of The Trees (MOTT) organisation are enjoying a new facility in Dawesville, with an official opening on Saturday October 8.
The official opening of The Shed will be held at 11.45am at 1 Thrisbe Dr, Dawesville, with Lisa Munday presiding over the opening.
The environmental organisation was founded in Kenya 100 years ago in 1922, by a man named Richard St Barbe Baker, who was concerned with land degradation and clearing of vegetation with no land rehabilitation programs.
The idea took off across the globe, and came to WA in 1979.
The WA groups have more than 2000 members combined, volunteering to grow, sell and plant trees with the aim of improving biodiversity.
The Peel branch of MOTT started in 1993 in Coodanup, with the group eventually needing more room to expand and moved to 'The Shed' in Dawesville in 2019.
Since then, the group has worked hard to make the space functional and fit for purpose.
Coordinators Kaye and Brian Toussaint said the shed minimised energy waste, was well secured with lots of space and used solar panels.
MOTT, Peel branch, run several programs from The Shed, including a school-based program known as the 'Million Trees Program', which has been running in the Peel area for more than 23 years.
The Shed is also home to plant sales, which is open every Sunday from 9-11am between March and October.
The plants are all native WA species, and are raised from seeds as a part of the Million Trees Program.
The seeds are cared for during the summer months, until around March, when they are ready to be planted or sold.
The MOTT volunteers grow for organisations such as the City of Mandurah, the Shire of Murray, Greening Australia, Birdlife Australia and the Peel Harvey Catchment Council.
In an average year MOTT grows about 17,500 native trees and understory plants of 95 different species through The Shed.
To volunteer, place a bulk order or have a school who wish to join the Million Tree Program, contact Chris Lampard on 0434 796 481 or email MOTT at mottpeelsecretary@gmail.com.
