Hopes for record numbers in tree planting event at Maungatautari Pa

Emma Hunter, Sustainable Coastlines programme coordinator. Photo/Supplied

Established in April 2009, the Sustainable Coastlines Charitable Trust is a multi-award-winning New Zealand charity that exists to connect people to nature and inspire change.

They deliver and support large-scale clean-up events, educational programmes, public awareness campaigns, catchment-based freshwater restoration and citizen science environmental monitoring activities. They also enable others by supporting 'Do It Yourself' efforts nationwide.

The first event kicks off with Cambridge Tree Planting Day (sponsored by APL) held on July 2 from 10am to 2pm. This event will be held at Maungatautari Pa, 271 Hicks Rd, RD2 Cambridge. Register for this event here: https://sustainablecoastlines.org/event/apl-tree-planting-day-cambridge/.

"Within the Waikato, freshwater streams are in such a bad state that we need to start doing something as a community. So the planting of trees helps the waterways by filtering bad things out before entering our waterways," says programme coordinator Natalia Groom.

"This will also help bring back biodiversity into the area through improving birdlife and native bugs numbers. Eventually, as the waterways get healthier, the water will leave out into our oceans and help improve their quality."

Just coming for a few hours to plant a few trees makes a massive difference to our environment. These trees will be looked after while they grow to ensure they grow strong.

An increasing number of New Zealanders are worried about biodiversity loss according to the 2022 Better Futures Report - 40 per cent reported they were concerned, up from 29 per cent the previous year.

This reflects the warnings of the scientific community, which shares concerns that Aotearoa is losing biodiversity at an alarming rate. Addressing these concerns is the award-winning charity Sustainable Coastlines, which is encouraging communities in Waikato to take action this winter by signing up to volunteer for their upcoming tree plantings.

Mary Van Tongeren, one of their volunteers down in Otautahi/Christchurch. Photo/Supplied

"People protect what they love, which is why our purpose at Sustainable Coastlines is to connect people to nature and inspire change," says Love Your Water programme manager Dan Downing.

"Riparian planting is critical work — 94 per cent of rivers in urban areas and 82 per cent of rivers in pastoral farming areas are not suitable for swimming in.

"Beyond these critical numbers, we know that the Ministry for the Environment has already declared our indigenous biodiversity to be in crisis and with the Ministry of Conservation stating that almost 30 per cent of the country's terrestrial species are threatened or at risk of extinction — the time to act is now.

"For us, it's incredibly encouraging to see that the health of our environment is currently top of mind for Kiwis," says Natalia.

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"We are hoping through our work to reinvigorate people through education and planting to show people that they can make a difference themselves. We want to put ourselves out of a job, so in time we won't have to do events like this because people will be doing it themselves."

Till that day "we invite all communities in the Waikato to take action this winter by registering to attend our family-friendly and engaging planting days".

"We also have three public planting days dedicated to restoring biodiversity in Morrinsville. The first is sponsored by ANZ, who support our planting programme nationally, along with Covid.

"We are also grateful to have support in the Waikato from The Tindall Foundation and the Simplicity Foundation, which is enabling us to increase our plantings and monitor the impacts in the longer term," said Natalia.

"We hope to see a record number of volunteers helping out this season. Please register to attend our tree plantings this winter, and join us in this purposeful mahi to help restore Papaptūānuku."

These tree-planting events are family-friendly and free for all to attend. All necessary equipment and instructions will be provided by Sustainable Coastlines, including health and safety and complimentary drinks and kai for all volunteers.

Sustainable Coastlines also perform free education for schools that want to participate in planting and workshops.

To stay up to date with Sustainable Coastlines follow
@sustainablecoastlines on Instagram and Facebook.

Or keep up to date with their website: https://sustainablecoastlines.org/events/