South Pole explorer Dr Gareth Andrews has marked National Tree Day on Sunday by planting an Antarctic beech at Glenrock Scout Camp.
The Sydney-based anaesthetist and scouting movement ambassador reached the geographic South Pole in January with Kiwi doctor Richard Stephenson, collecting climate data over 66 days of the expedition.
"I think the environment is in the forefront of everyone's minds at the moment, and it's becoming more front and centre for the Australian public," Dr Andrews said.
"I think through schools and youth education programs, especially youth movements like the scouts, through young people their parents will also get educated."
The Antarctic beech, whose botanical name is nothofagus moorei, is believed to have been common 50 million years ago when Australia was connected to the Antarctic continent.
The tree grows in the Barrington Tops and other cool temperate rainforests on the east coast.
Dr Andrews hoped the tree and his story of Antarctic exploration would help inspire scouts who visited the camp to a life of adventure and climate awareness.
Sunday's Glenrock tree planting also included a podocarpus, or plum pine.
The 2018 ABC Australian Gardener of the Year, John Le Messurier, christened his "golden shovel" prize during the planting ceremony.
Mr Le Messurier has spent 42 years helping to create a native garden at Glenrock for the area's birds and animals.
Planet Ark Environmental Foundation started National Tree Day in 1996.
City of Newcastle marked the day with a celebration at its Ironbark Creek rehabilitation project at Wallsend.
The council said staff, students and residents had planted 8000 native trees, shrubs and grasses last week to celebrate National Tree Day.
Maitland City Council invited the community to help plant 400 seedlings at East Maitland Library on Sunday morning.
Singleton, Muswellbrook, Mallabula, Soldiers Point, North Rothbury, Denman and Charlestown also marked the day with community planting and tree giveaway events.
