Group to keep tree-farm services

Katanning Landcare has officially announced it has taken over operations of Blyth Tree Farm and is taking orders for seedlings for the 2018 winter planting season.

It comes as Steve Blyth announced the closure of the 39-year-old family business last year, and now Katanning Landcare will continue its services under the name Katanning Environmental Nursery.

Landcare officer Andrea Salmond said the team was really excited about the new venture.

“We feel that it is really important to maintain those services in our community,” she said.

“We did all of our seedlings through Steve as well as many other organisations that used Blyth Tree Farm, so we want to keep those services in town.”

Over the Christmas period, the volunteer team at Katanning Landcare planted more than 200,000 seedlings including melaleucas, callistemons, casuarinas, eucalypts, saltbush, and other natives.

“All the details got finalised just before Christmas and a flurry of learning and planting has happened over the Christmas period,” Mrs Salmond said.

It was an emotional decision for Steve Blyth to close the business, but because of economic and personal reasons, the tree farm officially shut in November.

Katanning Landcare is determined to continue to uphold the reputation of Blyth Tree Farm.

“We are interested in maintaining the same level of service, even better if we can,” Mrs Salmond said.