Around 67,000 more native trees will be planted across New Zealand in 2022 thanks to generous Kiwi individuals and businesses who chose to go green for Christmas gifting. Source: Timberbiz
Trees That Count, a program of the Project Crimson Trust, provides a way for all New Zealanders to help grow Aotearoa by gifting a native tree-for Christmas, or at any time.
The charity saw a record breaking 67,434 native trees gifted during December 2021.
“We’re thrilled to see the movement of people keen to back our native forests for Christmas growing year on year,” Robyn Haugh, Project Crimson CEO said.
The New Zealand Support Report produced by JBWere in collaboration with Philanthropy New Zealand suggests that this generosity for the environment is part of a wider trend.
The report shows that New Zealanders’ environmental donations have increased by over NZ$10M in the last decade, and suggests that this uptick is expected to continue.
In the case of Trees That Count, the native tree ‘gifts’ sent will directly translate to trees in the ground in the 2022 winter planting season.
While the tree itself is matched to a worthy restoration project to be planted and cared for, the gift recipient is treated to a personalised gift certificate via email-and the knowledge that their native tree will help to grow Aotearoa for decades to come.
Gifted and donated native trees bring a myriad of benefits to Aotearoa, including restoring ecosystems, cleaning waterways, boosting communities, and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
The 67,000 native trees donated this Christmas have the potential to remove almost 20,000 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere over the next 50 years.
More than carbon sequestration, the native tree gifts will add highly significant value for Aotearoa’s other rare or endangered endemic species.
“It all starts with trees,” Ms Haugh said. “Native trees provide vital habitats for so many of our endangered species, from the biggest bird species to the smallest insects.”
From 2016 to 2021, Trees That Count supported over 700 planting projects around Aotearoa with funded native trees.
In 2022, that number will rise to more than 1,000 projects supported, with more than 600 businesses adding their support to that of generous individuals.
One such business is Mazda New Zealand, who are currently Trees That Count’s leading funder and recently passed the milestone of 100,000 native trees funded.
“Aotearoa’s future prosperity is very closely linked to our natural capital,” Ms Haugh said. “There is incredible economic, social, and cultural value in nurturing our biodiversity.”
“We’re extremely grateful to every New Zealander who chose to support native tree planting and grow Aotearoa over Christmas: together we’re making an incredible impact.”
Find out more about gifting native trees at www.treesthatcount.co.nz/gifting
