Wairarapa rugby great Sir Brian Lochore will muck in alongside volunteers to complete the Living Legends planting project in Wellington on Saturday, August 24.
Living Legends is a conservation project established in 2011 to leave a legacy of New Zealand's Rugby World Cup hosting by planting trees with RugbyLegends throughout New Zealand. A staggering 129,000 native trees have been planted so far and the project will be completed with another 41,000 at 14 locations this year.
Each planting project is dedicated to a Rugby Legend from the region. The Rugby Legends were selected in 2011 by each region's provincial rugby union. Sir Brian was selected as the Wellington/Wairarapa Rugby Legend and will help volunteers complete the planting project in Wellington.
Living Legends has been planting on a section of the Wellington Town Belt where it passes behind Berhampore Golf Course, on the City to Sea walkway. After this year's planting day, volunteers will have planted 11,000 native trees there.
Living Legends project manager Devon McLean said the project's completion this year would be of major significance to conservation.
"At the conclusion of Living Legends planting events this year, our volunteers and Rugby Legends will have planted 170,000 native trees throughout New Zealand," McLean said.
"It really is a gift to future generations of New Zealanders, and a lovely way to leave a legacy of Rugby World Cup 2011."
Sir Brian said he was happy to be part of the Living Legends project and was looking forward to the event this year.
"I attended the Living Legends event in Wellington in 2011 and it was a great day," he said.
"It's a fantastic project that brings together rugby and conservation, and a privilege to be able to make a difference to New Zealand for generations to come."
Living Legends said it welcomed volunteers to help plant trees. Anyone could take part and it was free to attend but people must register their interest at www.livinglegends.co.nz
Registered volunteers would receive information on what they needed to bring along and additional details about the day. Registrations for the event close at midnight on Wednesday, August 21.
Living Legends is a joint venture of Project Crimson, an environmental charity with 23 years' experience in community-based native restoration projects, and the Tindall Foundation. Major sponsors are the Department of Conservation and Meridian Energy.
