Taking it one step at a time

Planting trees at every meeting of the Otago Conservation Board held away from Dunedin is an initiative started by its members in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint.

The board chairman, Hoani Langsbury, and the nine board members planted a South Island kowhai in the Wanaka area Department of Conservation office grounds on Thursday, in a native garden containing indigenous plants from the Mt Aspiring National Park.

The board holds six meetings a year, with five of those being held away from Dunedin.

The various board members travelled from their different areas of Otago to attend the meetings and planting trees was one way to try and cut their collective carbon footprint, Mr Langsbury said.

The board reports to Doc, which encourages carbon neutrality as part of government policy.