19 September 2024:

Dozens of corporate team members have been in Christchurch’s Red Zone, planting swathes of native trees and plants on land that was previously housing. The volunteering was organised in conjunction with Conservation Volunteers https://conservationvolunteers.co.nz/.

Team member Kate White says it was a bittersweet experience planting on land that was previously people’s gardens and homes.

“To know people had lived and raised families there is quite affecting. It’s wonderful, though, to know we’re contributing positively to the taiao (natural world) by ensuring there is a future not only for our plant species, but the creatures these plants provide a habitat for.”

Fulton Hogan has been closely involved with Conservation Volunteers in helping restore our natural environment, planting and caring for native trees, controlling pests and weeds, and protecting threatened species.

Across New Zealand, Conservation Volunteers has held 14,000 events involving 120,000 volunteer days, planting 2,010,000 trees, removing 120,000kg of rubbish and weeding 1,500ha of land.

The planting day was part of the wider Christchurch City Council Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor initiative in which the Council’s red zone rangers are teaming up with community groups and volunteers to plant tens of thousands of natives at Brooker Reserve, Chimera Crescent, Dudley Creek, Richmond Community Garden, Waikakariki-Horseshoe Lake, Dallington, Cedarwood Reserve and Amelia Rogers Reserve.