Arbor aned World Environment day celebrations

An opportunity for members of the Queenstown business and wider community to celebrate both Arbor and World Environment Days will take place next week during the lunch hour, Queenstown Lakes District Council arts and events facilitator Jan Maxwell said.

The lunch-time tree planting opportunity on June 5 was a partnership initiative between the Council, the Otago Polytechnic Centre for Sustainable Practice and the Queenstown Sustainable Business Programme and its partners.

“The Council has identified a reserve area and the centre has been able to source trees kindly donated by Green Fleet and the Otago Polytechnic. Given the time of year, the Council has also offered to provide a hot drink for those taking part,” Sustainable Tourism advisor Sharon Schindler said.

The community just needed to come along.
“We will have members of the Council’s Horticultural Team to lend a hand but it’s really an opportunity for people to come - at the price of their time only - to plant a native tree,” Mrs Maxwell said.

Representatives from primary schools in the area would also be invited to take part and plant trees along-side Mayor Clive Geddes.

Further tree donations were also welcome, with the proviso that all trees to be planted on the reserve were to be native.

The reserve area, identified by QLDC parks manager Gordon Bailey, was bare land situated on the corner of Gorge Road and Bowen Street, neighbouring the bus park and the Gorge Road Industrial area. “It’s a large area that will really benefit from this initiative,” Mr Bailey said.

Participants were asked to come along with gumboots and spades.

“We would also ask that people register their interest so we know how many people to expect,” Ms Schindler said. Please email sschindler@tekotago.ac.nz .

The tree planting would take place from 12.30pm to 1.30pm.

In Wanaka, the Council would enlist the help of local students to plant native trees to mark the day.
“On June 5 we will also be giving away eco bulbs to residents and ratepayers at both our Wanaka and Queenstown offices, with a limit of two per household,’ Mrs Maxwell said.