Dan the Jacaranda Man’s one-man mission to cool Macarthur

Twelve-year-old Dan the Jacaranda Man is “purplifying” Macarthur one jacaranda seedling at a time, in a one-man mission to cool the region.

Twelve-year-old Dan Pickles is “purplifying” Macarthur one jacaranda seedling at a time. (AAP IMAGE / Carmela Roche).

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TWELVE-year-old Dan Pickles, the Jacaranda Man, is “purplifying” Macarthur one jacaranda seedling at a time, in a one-man mission to cool the region.

As houses multiply across Macarthur, the Brownlow Hill resident said he has rescued hundreds of jacaranda seedlings and potted them, finding new homes for them across the region.

Dan Pickles is plotting unwanted jacaranda seedlings and seeds and growing them until they are ready for adoption to be planted throughout Macarthur. (AAP IMAGE / Carmela Roche).

“Last summer was the hottest in history since the 1950s or something like that and I think it’s because they keep cutting down trees for development,” he said.

“If it keeps going like this it will be terrible. I imagine the house I am in now and the neighbour would hear me burp.

“If you chop a tree down, plant two more. You can’t do anymore than that, you can’t really say stop chopping down trees.”

Dan Pickles hopes multipling the region’s jacarandas will cool down the region. (AAP IMAGE / Carmela Roche).

The passionate gardener, who has been saving jacarandas since he was 9, said he loves the vision of a future purple Macarthur.

“I love it. Jacarandas have always been my favourite tree,” he said.

“I love the foliage and the flowers are just so beautiful. They make the place look great in November.”

With reports of 50C days becoming a fixture of our Australian summer, Dan’s guerrilla environment mission may be assisted soon by the NSW Government.

NSW planning minister Anthony Roberts said he wishes to leave a tree-planting legacy, with reports five million trees could soon be planted to cool down Western Sydney.

Dan hopes a purple Macarthur will keep the region cool. (AAP IMAGE / Carmela Roche).

“When you drive out southwest and west there is a sea of roof tiles and lots of small shrubs — you have the heat island effect out there,” he said.

“The legacy I want to leave and something I’m incredibly passionate about ... we can do more with the greening of Sydney.”

The plan, expected to be unveiled in coming weeks, will ask housing developers to contribute at least five new large trees for each home approved.

Councils would be free to plant the trees wherever the choose.

Mr Roberts said a green canopy over a suburb could cool homes by up to 5C, saving on power bills and increase property value.

To adopt one of Dan the Jacaranda Man’s rescued jacaranda seedlings, visit Dan at Tim’s Garden Centre, Campbelltown.

Each seedlings cost $5 to cover potting costs.