Click on the image above to view the slideshow of Green Santa

2010's International Year of Biodiversity was heralded by a very merry Santa donning green and rolling in to the Blackheath Community Christmas Market with Mrs Claus and his elves, and baskets laden with trees. Santa chose to give his endangered reindeers a rest, so his troupe rode in on electric bikes instead. They then presented each child with a native tree, sourced exclusively for Santa by Wildplant Rescue.

Encouraging a whole new generation of treeplanters is also the goal of a major worldwide tree planting campaign launched by The United Nations Environment Programme. Under the Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign, people, communities, business and industry, civil society organizations and governments are encouraged to enter tree planting pledges online with the objective of planting at least one billion trees worldwide each year. The campaign strongly encourages the planting of indigenous trees and trees that are appropriate to the local environment as they are hardier in local conditions and provide habitat and food for the diversity of wildlife in the area. They also help cool the planet, store water in biomass and soil, act as windbreaks, and store carbon.

A move towards agroforestry utilising nitrogen fixing local species amongst cropping trees is also one of the most significant ways that farmers can reduce their need for chemical inputs and longterm irrigation, at the same time as providing wildlife corridors throughout their land.

... and revegetating all hilltops with trees is critical to prevent desertification. This reduces erosion and captures and stores both the sun's energy, and water, at the highest points on the land. Water retentive landscapes replenish groundwater and ultimately our streams and rivers - critical for everyone's survival.

The United Nations, this year, calls on all countries and individuals to act together in a global alliance to protect life on earth. As Santa well knows, the greatest gift we can give our children is a future that is kind to all the children on this planet ... planting trees is one of the most significant actions we can take to achieve this.

PS. A number of the elves helping Santa are local permaculurists and members of the Blue Mountains/Central West Alternative Technology Association

and PPS. Electric bikes are now permanently available to hire in Blackheath