Students help grow our future

An Auckland-wide school tree-planting programme led by Mayor Len Brown was launched today with help from Avondale Intermediate students and community volunteers.

Len Brown says the Growing our Future programme highlights the council’s commitment to environmental action and green growth.

“This planting season, we have committed to support schools to plant over 75,000 trees. Under the Growing our Future banner, students and communities can be part of the largest tree-planting programme ever undertaken in the region.”

Organised to coincide with both Arbor Day and World Environment Day, the inaugural Growing our Future tree-planting event is the first of an estimated 150 similar events involving schools expected to plant more than 75,000 plants this planting season. Some 55,000 of the trees were grown in nurseries at schools participating in the Trees for Survival programme, which falls within the umbrella programme.

One thousand trees were planted by students and volunteers at Sister Rene Shadbolt Park in New Lynn today to mark the launch of Growing our Future. The Auckland Council programme brings together the planting activities of a number of existing initiatives to help coordinate efforts and to give recognition to the students for their contributions.

Today’s volunteers were from the Friends of the Whau community group, which started a restoration project in Sister Rene Shadbolt Park in 2000.

The Mayor says planting and restoration activity is a great way for students to learn about, protect and enhance the environment.

He looks forward to rolling up his sleeves and helping schools out as often as he can. “The Growing our Future planting days will be happening across the region and I look forward to getting my hands dirty, starting today.”

For more information on getting involved in Growing our Future programme call Auckland Council on 09 301 0101.

 

Editors’ notes:

School tree-planting activity under 11 existing programmes is now under the umbrella of Growing our Future:

• Trees for Survival programme – A partnership of the council, Trees for Survival Trust and other organisations such as Rotary, to support students in planting native seedlings on rural properties

• Auckland Council regional parks planting programmes – Provides assistance to partner schools with planting days, providing the trees and expert ranger planning;

• Auckland Council local parks planting programmes – Offer Adopt a Park programme in the south, and assist schools in other areas with planting days, providing trees and expertise.

• Stormwater school planting programme – Support five schools every year to work with stormwater management on native planting projects.

• Wai Care programme – Work with school groups to improve a local ‘adopted’ stream, including through streamside planting.

• Project Twin Streams – Trees and expertise are provided for planting and restoration in a specific area in the west.

• Sustainable Catchment programme – Uses the Wai Care programme to work with schools on planting.

• Enviroschools – Facilitators support schools to develop a sustainability vision and action plan, including tree planting.

• Environmental Initiatives Fund – Funding given to schools for plants and associated project costs.

• Sustainable Neighbourhoods – Provides assistance in the west for community-led environment enhancement on private property, parks and reserves and school land, including through tree planting.

• Education for Sustainability Outreach programme – Supports longer term projects in schools with teaching, resources and advice.