Cold, wet conditions did not dampen the spirits of about 50 people who turned out to plant 1300 trees on Okia reserve on Otago Peninsula to mark Arbor Day and World Environment Day yesterday.
Corporate, community and school groups, organised by the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust joined together to increase the biodiversity of the peninsula and combat climate change.
The planting was done on a grassy slope between the Big Pyramid and Taiaroa Bush, and linked previous plantings from 2001 and 2002, field manager David McFarlane said.
The event was an opportunity for organisations to offset their impact on the environment, he said.
"This is doing our little bit of sequestering carbon."
Natural History New Zealand was one such organisation which felt it was important to combat the carbon output of running a global business which required a lot of travel, executive vice-president of marketing and development Neil Harraway said.
"We have to do all we can."
The company had been involved in the trust for about 10 years and eight staff were on site yesterday to help with the planting.
It had also donated 1500 trees, worth about $6000.
Department of Conservation staff, Dunedin City Council staff, pupils from Bayfield High School, trust staff, trustees and volunteers also took part.
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