Giving of your time, expertise and money to a worthy cause can make you feel good.
Thor’s Hammer
One Canberra business, timber recycler and furniture maker, Thor’s Hammer, donated a 2.4 metre bench of recycled turpentine and 300 plants to the Cole St, Downer micro-forest.
After the bushfires of 2019-20, owner Thor Diesendorf decided to contribute 10% of profits to three Canberra groups doing environmental good – Firesticks, an indigenous led corporation focused on cultural burning practices, Greening Australia and The Climate Factory were the beneficiaries.
The Climate Factory is a social enterprise, founded in 2019 by Landscape Architect, Edwina Robinson after Australia experienced its hottest summer on record. Our vision is to rehydrate the landscape, build great soils and plant densely with climate ready plants.
Planting trees helps the environment
Thor says planting trees is a great way to help the environment. His favourite tree as a child was a deciduous Chinese Elm, Ulmus parvifolia, in his backyard. Thor says he spent a lot of time climbing that tree and still has a soft spot for the species.
Community involvement
Community involvement is key to the success of the Downer micro-forest. Local residents formed a carer group in 2019 and turning up in droves at working bees to install 1800 climate-ready plants, mulch and make tree guards. Diesendorf’s team nestled the timber bench amongst newly planted She-Oaks.
Now, the Downer Micro-forest is a thriving ecosystem, thanks to sponsor’s like Thor’s Hammer and community input
Recycled timber used in Watson micro-forest
The Climate Factory built a second micro-forest in 2021 inspired by the Downer Project. The Watson site blends micro-forest and pollinator patches with nature play elements, like a boardwalk, shopfront, a dry creek bed and camp fire.
Once again, Thor supported the project and donated recycled wharf timber (Turpentine) which was used in the boardwalk.
