Arbor Day tree-planting planned

Jan Maxwell
Jan Maxwell
A lunch-time tree-planting ceremony this week would give the Queenstown community to celebrate Arbor Day and World Environment Day, Queenstown Lakes District Council arts and events facilitator Jan Maxwell said.

Scheduled for Friday, the tree planting 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 adviser Sharon Schindler said.

All the community had to do was go 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 with Mayor Clive Geddes.

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

The reserve area, identified by QLDC parks manager Gordon Bailey, was bare land situated on the corner of Gorge Rd and Bowen St, neighbouring the bus park and the Gorge Rd 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.

• The tree planting will take place from 12.30pm-1.30pm. Anyone interested can register their interest by emailing sschindler@tekotago.ac.nz

 

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