Trees for Canterbury

Come and check out our nursery! [emoji]

We have over 300 native plant species available, with experts on hand to give you the best advice for your backyard. 

All proceeds from the nursery go back into donating and planting native trees in the community. 

Open 7 days a week. Check out our website for more info. [emoji]

www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz/contact/

#TreesforCanterbury #Christchurch

We collaborate with schools and community groups across Christchurch to educate them about conservation and teach how to create a more sustainable future. [emoji]

We've been working with @QueensparkSchool for over 20 years, helping students understand the importance of conservation. [emoji]

Watch the leaders of the school's environmental Green Team, Alanah and Brad, lead you through the steps of planting a native tree -for this one, we donated them a Kōwhai to symbolise one of their four school houses.

Keen to learn more? Check out our website at:

www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz

#TreesforCanterbury #Christchurch

We love seeing @QueensparkSchool students getting involved in planting native trees. [emoji]

It's so important to get people of all ages interested in conservation and helping to keep our environment green. 

Join Queenspark School Green Team leaders Alanah Beedles and Brad Stokes Cassidy as they explain why their school is a great green space for them to learn in.

To learn more about our work within the community, visit:

www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz

#TreesforCanterbury #Christchurch

"We have people from all walks of life come and work for us." [emoji]

Meet some of our fantastic team and learn their stories in the video below. 

Come and see us at our nursery at 42 Charlesworth Street, Ferrymead.

For more information, check out our website:

www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz

#TreesforCanterbury #Christchurch

"There's no 'I' in team." [emoji]

At Trees for Canterbury, we aim to Employ, Educate and Regenerate.

Meet the man at the helm of our operations, Steve Bush, and a few of our community partners.

To find out more about our staff and our mission, visit:

www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz

#TreesforCanterbury #Christchurch

A FAMILY EVENT FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY

Lucy is a busy mother of three, and knows keeping the kids from boredom is a mammoth task.

So, instead of placing her kids in front of a screen, she came out to one of Trees for Canterbury’s community plantings day at Southshore Spit Reserve, New Brighton.

At our planting events, people travel from all over the city to pitch in and plant native trees in a bid to keep Canterbury both beautiful and environmentally sustainable.

"I just wanted to get the kids out from in front of the TV and out appreciating nature," Lucy explained.

"They just sit in front of the TV all the time and it’s good to get out and enjoy the fresh air and give back to the community.'’

Lucy was one of almost 100 that enjoyed planting native trees on a sunny winter morning amid the stunning natural seaside landscape of Southshore.

Trees for Canterbury hold ten public plantings a year, and people from all over the community can come and lend a hand, helping to keep Canterbury beautiful and attract more birdlife.

Lucy appreciates how important it is for people of all ages - not just kids - to get into the outdoors and enjoy the best that nature has to offer.

"The children are actually enjoying it - it’s nice to get out in the fresh air and enjoy our environment and it’s a good learning experience for the children as well," Lucy said.

Each planting day is working towards Trees for Canterbury’s goal to plant 1 million trees in the region. To read more about the planting event, and the 1 millionth planting on September 15, head to https://www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz/.

GROWING A FUTURE

The students at Queenspark School know a thing or two about keeping the environment beautiful.

Thanks to a coordinated effort by its students and staff, as well as generous donations from Trees for Canterbury, the school encompasses a beautiful native bush backyard.

Chris Kime, who has been Queenspark School’s Caretaker for over 20 years, first established the school's environmental ‘Green Team’ to get kids involved in developing the grounds while learning about conservation and sustainability.

2018 Green Team leaders Alanah Beedles and Brad Stokes Cassidy want to leave their legacy for future generations of students with their efforts.

"The main thing we do is plant different plants and trees,” Alanah said. “We also tidy up the area so sometimes we might go up into the year seven and eight area and tidy all that up.”

As a result of its longstanding relationship with Trees for Canterbury, native trees and plants are part and parcel of the Queenspark School atmosphere.

"We're pretty lucky that Trees for Canterbury gives us different trees and bushes to plant around the school to make the school a better environment and all colourful," Brad said.

Both Brad and Alanah understand how important conservation is - not just to their school, but to the greater region.

"Christchurch is known as the garden city around the country so we should live up to that name and plant a lot of native trees around the city," Brad said.

Kōwhai, Totara, Matai and Rimu planted around the grounds represent the school’s four houses. Trees for Canterbury’s donations have allowed the students to connect with their natural surroundings and learn to nurture the plants of their houses’ namesakes.

 “It's just really nice to plant something that's a big part of the school and has gone through the school for I think about 30 years now,” Alanah said. “It's nice to plant something to represent that.”

The students hope their efforts will only continue to grow and make the school sustainable for years to come. Alanah and Brad are excited about Trees for Canterbury's upcoming 1 millionth tree planting at Travis Wetland on September 15.

“I think it's amazing we've planted 1 million trees. It's just really awesome and I can't believe we've gone up that high," Alanah said.

To read more about Trees for Canterbury’s impact on the Christchurch community and for information on our 1 millionth tree planting on September 15, visit our website at https://www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz/.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

Coastal Burwood Community Board Deputy Chairman Tim Sintes joined almost 100 volunteers at the Southshore Spit Reserve on August 11 for the Trees for Canterbury planting day event.

Sintes, joined by his wife Jan, were among the crowds from the community planting along the reserve in an effort to make the area more environmentally robust.

"We see this as a great opportunity to get involved with the community and do our thing together to make this into the wonderful reserve it's going to be," Tim said.

Tim and Jan are keen conservationists and active members of their community. They regularly attend Trees for Canterbury planting days, viewing them as a great way to get outdoors and give back to their environment.

"We have a great community spirit in Southshore - everyone gets in here and helps and it just makes it a wonderful place," Jan said.

"We're always out. We're quite an outdoorsy community so we're always walking through here."

Jan thinks the community plantings are a great way for people to help out maintaining the area and keep it beautiful. She also sees it as an opportunity to create a strong community network.

"I walk through here every weekend with a friend and it's just a really good community get-together,” she said.

“As you can see the reserve is looking really great with all the flaxes and everything that have been planted already.”

As a community board member, Tim sees the impact the Trees for Canterbury plantings have for the people in the area, not just the environmental effect of the work they do.

"Obviously, we love living down here - it's a lifestyle and if we can all improve our lifestyle, it's a great example for the kids of tomorrow," Tim explained.

"I love seeing all the families down here getting involved and we're teaching these kids how to get involved in the future of our planet."

The couple have immense pride in seeing how the reserve has changed over the years, and both love spending time by the beach.

"This used to be just all sand dunes… and grass and weeds of all sorts.”

“Now, it's turning into these wonderful wetlands with a semi tropical, west coast look really. So it's quite exciting to see it evolve as it does."

Tim and Jan will be at Trees for Canterbury's 1 millionth tree planting on September 15. For more information about the organisation and the 1 millionth tree planting, visit their website https://www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz/ for more information.

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TREES FOR CANTERBURY - MISSION ONE MILLION

On September 15, Trees for Canterbury will celebrate its biggest milestone yet: donating and planting their 1 millionth native New Zealand tree in the Canterbury region.

The event will kick off at 10am at Travis Wetland in Burwood on September 15, with an open invitation to the public to come along, plant a tree and celebrate with Trees for Canterbury staff, Christchurch City Mayor Lianne Dalziel, community representatives and fellow Cantabrians. There will be a BBQ for everyone in attendance around 12.30pm.

For the organisation’s Manager, Steve Bush, Trees for Canterbury is about much more than simply giving back to the natural environment – it’s an opportunity to bring together people from all walks of life and create meaningful change for individuals and for the local community.

“Trees are hugely important and education is important,” Steve said. “But in the end, it’s about seeing a community grow.”

Trees for Canterbury’s planting of 1 million trees is a representation of their long-standing mission to increase the number of native New Zealand tree species in the Canterbury region. Along with benefitting the natural environment and local ecosystem, the project is creating environmental awareness by delivering education in community groups and organisations right across the city.

“Our first goal has always been getting to 1,000,000 trees,” he said. “Our next goal - will it be 2 million or 1 billion? Who knows.”

Achieving this goal has been no easy feat – it has taken a coordinated effort by Trees for Canterbury staff, dedicated volunteers, local body government and, of course, members of the Christchurch community. 

2%                   Canterbury’s remaining native bush total.

45,000             The number of plants Trees for Canterbury donate and plant across Christchurch each year.

2,500               The number of disadvantaged individuals who have been a part of Trees for Canterbury since it was founded in 1990.

1 billion           The number of native trees the government aims to plant across the next 10 years.

Trees for Canterbury will plant the 1 millionth tree at 10am at Travis Wetland on September 15. Visit their website https://www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz/ for more information about the team and the .

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TREES FOR CANTERBURY – A PLACE FOR ALL

"Just like the Crusaders.”

That's how Steve Bush describes his team at the Trees for Canterbury Nursery.

For over 20 years, Trees for Canterbury has been striving for a greener, more sustainable environment for locals to enjoy. But to the organisation, creating educational opportunities for those in need has since become one of the organisation’s key objectives - one native tree at a time.

Since Trees for Canterbury was founded in 1990, it has helped more than 2,500 disadvantaged individuals with temporary and long-term employment. This includes people who have experienced significant hardship, long-term unemployment and physical or intellectual disabilities.

Trees for Canterbury Manager Steve Bush and his hard-working team of employees couldn't think of a better way to spend their days. Every task is completed with a smile.

“Craig, when he was first placed with us they said we’ve got somebody you might be able to work with for only four hours… Craig comes in four days a week now."

"These guys come here rain, hail or snow. They don’t ever ring up on Monday and say I’m sick when what they actually mean is I’ve got a hangover," Steve said.

"Gregor stands out - he’s become my mate. All he’ll do is cut milk cartons, but he will spin and dance at his workstation and give me a hug each morning," he said.

“I feel proud in myself in what I’ve done for Trees for Canterbury,” said Helen, who uses the skills she’s learned at Trees for Canterbury to help create and maintain her own green space.

She said it’s important the work in the nursery gets done to keep the environment green and help with conservation in the region.

The nursery is always busy with lots of work to do in preparation for their planting days. The workers are committed to their roles and the workroom is always buzzing with laughter and jokes from the team.

It is clear to any visitor to the nursery that this genuine passion for the environment is shared by everyone involved.

Craig, Gregor and Helen are just two of the many individuals at Trees for Canterbury who strive to keep Canterbury beautiful through their efforts at the organisation.

“Yeah keep the environment pretty and nice for the birds and all that in the areas. Like Travis Wetland and all that, it’s good for the animals,” Helen said.

To read more about the team at Trees for Canterbury and for information on their 1 millionth tree planting on September 15, visit our website at https://www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz/.