On the tree top

By Tania Martin
LILY-May Hope and Mitchell Frazer are proud to be tree huggers.
The Emerald Primary School green crusaders have been recognised for helping to save an 80-year-old tree, which faced the chop last year.
The pair received the school’s World Environment Day gongs on 7 June to highlight their work to help maintain their local environment.
Now in its fourth year, the awards inspire students to do their bit for the environment and local community.
Mitchell, 10, who was instrumental in helping to save the tree last October, got a letter from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, congratulating him.
“I am pleased to see young people like yourself getting involved in your local community. Well done, ” the letter stated.
Mitchell said he would do it all again if he had to.
At the time, it was reported how the Grade four students had written emails, made posters and put together a 73-signature petition.
They even wrote to local MPs and appealed to Mr Rudd to stop the tree from facing the axe.
The tree was set to make way for new buildings as part of the school’s $3.2 million stimulus package upgrade.
But the school managed to negotiate with the builders to amend the plans to save the tree.
Mitchell was not only rewarded for writing to the Prime Minister calling for action, but also for his creative use of technology to tackle the problem.
Teacher Leigh Johnston said Mitchell set up a web page, and found useful links and email addresses to campaign for the tree to stay.
“The tree was saved partly due to his actions,” he said.
Mitchell said it was a great honour to be recognised.
His prize was a book on tigers, a certificate and a cash award.
“It was a big shock, but it was a really nice feeling,” he said.
Lily-May, 10, was also recognised for her role in the campaign to save the tree.
But that’s not all. She also started a campaign to highlight the plight of orangutangs.
The use of palm oil costs the lives of up to 50 orangutans each week and many Australians unknowingly consume an average of 10 kilograms a week.
Lily-May joined the campaign to stop the use of palm oil.
“I went on a website and voted five times … hopefully that helped a bit,” she said.
“I also made a poster and put it up in my classroom.”
Lily-May said it was great to be able to save the tree as it was at the school in her grandmother’s day.
She received a book on polar regions as part of her prize.