10,000 trees to mark 10 years of environmental restoration

This year marks 10 years of Greater Wellington’s environmental restoration programme Take Care and we want you to join us in celebrating with a massive tree planting day at Queen Elizabeth Park.
On Sunday 15 August, Greater Wellington staff, care group volunteers and members of the public will aim to plant 10,000 native trees – our biggest native tree planting day ever.

“Since Take Care started in July 2000, volunteer groups from Wairarapa to the Kapiti Coast, Wellington, Porirua, and the Hutt Valley have put hundreds of thousands of hours of unpaid effort to restore rivers, streams, estuaries, wetlands, coastal dunes and escarpments,” says Greater Wellington’s Environmental Education Manager Geoff Skene.

Geoff says Greater Wellington has worked with 64 groups since the programme’s inception and between them they’ve planted over half a million native trees. In 2007/08 alone the groups planted over 80,000 plants putting in some 32,800 hours of effort.

“There is no doubt that without our volunteers we would not have achieved as much as we have. Volunteers have also gained valuable experience and skills in environmental restoration and helped others to upskill along the way. It’s a win-win situation.”

The event starts at 9.30am on Sunday 15 August. Come to the Mackays Crossing entrance to Queen Elizabeth Park. Bring sturdy footwear, a rain jacket, gloves and a spade if you have one. There’ll be a free sausage sizzle and hot drinks.

www.gw.govt.nz/10-years-of-care

About Take Care

Greater Wellington’s Take Care programme commenced in July 2000 to get the community more involved in managing and restoring ecosystems and reverse the loss of biodiversity in the Wellington region.

Council investigations have highlighted the decline in lowland stream water quality and the loss or degradation of native habitat in both town and country, pointing to the need to engage community-based environmental care groups in restoring these ecosystems.

Take Care recognises that councils cannot solve these problems on their own but need the active participation of community groups, volunteers, schools and businesses, and other local authorities to help restore the region’s environment.

Since 2000, 64 groups have participated in the programme - working alongside streams and rivers, in wetlands, coastal dunes and escarpments, and estuaries. The Take Care programme provides community volunteers with administrative support, specialist advice, funds, pest control and plants and equipment, and in return, volunteers provide their time, and gain vital new skills and knowledge.

Groups receive up to $19,000 over five years and may reapply for a second five-year funding period.

Most groups work continuously throughout the year, clearing weeds and rubbish, replanting with appropriate native species, growing plants in their nurseries and measuring the ecological improvements they are making. Sixty percent of groups have someone at their site every week.

In the 2007-08 year, volunteer groups worked on average just under 1000 hours each, or 32,800 hours in total, all unpaid. Put in monetary terms, that’s around $656,000 per year, two and half times Greater Wellington’s annual contribution.

Take Care achievements

• Over 500,000 trees planted
• Around 100 planting days annually
• 64 groups throughout the region
• About 1500 active members
• 50% of volunteers are new to environmental restoration
• 68% of volunteers say the programme has increased their environmental awareness
• Many groups are building successful partnerships with local schools and businesses
• 32,800 volunteer hours (2008)
• Reintroduction of threatened species
• Development of numerous native plant nurseries
• For $275,000 annually, Greater Wellington and volunteers can deliver the ecological benefits of about $930,000 of restoration effort