Why get into Tree Farming?
Different people get into tree farming for all sorts of different reasons. The reasons why you are thinking about tree farming are probably very different from the reasons why we got into tree farming.
Essentially, there were four major reasons why we got involved.
Our professional backgrounds
With a combined experience of 50 years in transport planning, we (Tony Richardson and Rita Seethaler) were only too aware of the serious environmental damage caused by the unfettered use of the private motor vehicle. We were therefore interested in seeing how carbon sequestration could help un-do some of the damage caused by our collective travel behaviour choices as a society.
Our superannuation fund
Running our own company enabled us to set up our own Self-Managed Superanutation Fund for our eventual retirement. So when it came to deciding upon an investment strategy for the TUTI Superannuation Fund, we decided to invest in a rural property, which could earn income by being leased out for tree farming for long-term economic and environmental returns.
Our residential location
Living in the rural area of Taggerty (100 km north-east of Melbourne), we kept running into people who were already involved in tree farming. When we discovered John Woodley (or he discovered us!), we had no option but to become involved ourselves.
Our wanting to do something for the future
Approaching, or having passed, the magic age of 50, we wanted to do something "before we shuffled off this mortal coil" which would leave the world a slightly better place. What better way than to plant some trees, and do something, albeit small, about global warming at the same time!
