Winter tree planting activities under way

From City Scene, published on 18 May, 2008

Community effort: local volunteers plant trees and shrubs at Meola Reef Reserve and Mt Albert.

Help look after your local parks by taking part in the council's winter volunteer programme.

"Since 2002, the council's volunteer-led winter tree planting activities have resulted in 41,500 new native trees and shrubs being planted in parks around our city," says Councillor Greg Moyle, Chairperson of the Arts, Culture and Recreation Committee.This year promises to be even 'greener', with nearly 12,000 trees ready for planting.

Upcoming activities include Hamlins Hill/Mutukaroa on Sunday, 25 May (meet at 10am on Great South Road, 40m from Sylvia Park Road) and a special tree planting event at Meola Reef Reserve on World Environment Day, Thursday, 5 June where Auckland City Council, together with Timberland footwear and clothing company and Pt Chevalier Primary School, will be planting 1300 native trees.

"The council appreciates the valuable work that volunteers do to protect our local environment," says Mr Moyle. "This includes the recently completed fourth annual creek and coast clean up, where volunteers collected a record amount of rubbish from our waterways - 411 bags weighing a total of 3.5 tonnes."