Plant a tree and help build the team

From City Scene, published on 6 July, 2008

Mucking in: Recent corporate tree planting days at Waiheke Island's McKenzie Reserve have proven popular and contributed to local efforts that have seen more than 5000 trees planted in the last two years.

An environmentally-friendly corporate team-building activity is proving popular on Waiheke Island's McKenzie Reserve.

Teams travel to the island and work together to help plant native trees at the reserve, with the council providing the plants as well as refreshments.

Since the reserve was cleared of pine trees in 2006, more than 5000 trees have been planted by local volunteers and the corporate teams, with plans for another 2000 trees to be planted this winter.

The initiative is one of several innovative projects happening in the island's parks, including:

planting red basil and chilli plants outside the council service centre, and fruit trees in Surfdale Reserve - with locals invited to take part in "pick your own" days when the vegetables and fruit are ready for harvest
planting and pick-your-own pinecone days at McKenzie Reserve, with people who help plant trees allowed to help themselves to pinecones and firewood.

Organisations interested in finding out more about corporate team-building can contact parks adviser Gary Wilton.