Arbor Day teaches kids about trees
Forestry Minister Stuart Nash has launched an Arbor Day initiative that will give thousands of primary school children throughout the country the chance to plant native trees in their communities.
The offer, which is open to more than 2400 primary schools, is a partnership between Te Uru Ra¯ kau/ NZ Forest Service and the conservation charity Trees That Count.
“Every primary school will be offered five native trees to plant, through the new Trees for Schools programme,” Nash said.
“Kiwis have celebrated Arbor Day for more than 130 years, since the first tree-planting ceremonies in Greytown in the winter of 1890. Many community groups keep the tradition alive on June 5 every year, but it has not been widely promoted in the past few years.
“We want to bring back the celebration of Arbor Day across the country as part of our push towards a sustainable, low-carbon future.
“Tree planting is one of the best ways to slow the effects of climate change, restore and enhance the environment, and improve biodiversity.
“We particularly want to encourage children to adopt Arbor Day, as future decision-makers.
“The trees we plant and the actions we take now will influence their lives,” he said.
“By planting trees, they learn more about the importance of the environment for our way of life, culture, and economy.”
Schools have until June 30 to register their interest via a new portal on the Trees That Count website (https://www.treesthatcount.co.nz/ forschools), with trees to be delivered from July onwards, along with a poster and educational material to help with their care and maintenance.