**Toyota's Footy Forest initiative will see almost 9000 trees planted for Planet Ark's National Tree Day**
**Total of 4488 points scored across Rounds 17-19 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season with one tree to be planted for every point**
**Toyota Australia to double the total amount as part of 23-year partnership with Planet Ark**
Toyota Australia has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability and positive environmental outcomes through The Footy Forest initiative, resulting in nearly 9000 seedlings donated for planting by schools and community groups around the country.
Developed as an extension of Toyota's Good for Footy program with the Australian Football League (AFL), The Footy Forest supports Planet Ark's National Tree Day by pledging one tree to be planted for each point scored during Rounds 17-19 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
To further support the Footy Forest initiative, Toyota Australia announced it will double the number of seedlings donated, which, with 4488 points scored across the three rounds, will result in a total donation of nearly 9000 seedlings.
Toyota Australia Chief Marketing Officer Vin Naidoo said Toyota was incredibly proud to work with Planet Ark and the AFL on The Footy Forest initiative.
"We are absolutely thrilled by the results, with 4,488 points scored across the three rounds. In addition, Toyota Australia will double this donation, which will see the Footy Forest grow to a total of 8,976 trees."
"The Footy Forest builds on the strong community work done throughout the Good for Footy campaign. Toyota Australia is dedicated to providing Australian communities with a broad range of initiatives, and bringing economic and environmental benefits to sporting clubs and communities across the country," Mr Naidoo said.
AFL ambassadors including Essendon's Zach Merrett, St Kilda's Jack Sinclair and Jade Gresham, and Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli have gotten behind and supported The Footy Forest initiative.
Trees donated by Toyota Australia have been sourced by Planet Ark's The Seedling Bank, which was launched in 2019 with the goal of supplying native seedlings to schools and community groups around the country, with financial grants awarded directly to successful applicants.
Toyota Australia and its dealership network have been partners of National Tree Day for the past 23 years, which has facilitated the planting of more than 26 million trees by more than five million volunteers.
Australians across the country are encouraged to get involved in National Tree Day, while any donations to Planet Ark will help fund The Seedling Bank.
Recent research commissioned by Planet Ark has shown the importance of supporting and being in nature, with 81 per cent of respondents agreeing that spending time in nature is beneficial for physical and psychological wellbeing, while 74 per cent agreed planting trees is an important means of learning about the environment and how to care for it.
Schools Tree Day and National Tree Day are Australia's largest annual tree-planting and nature care events, which take place on July 29 and July 31 respectively.
