Totara Park tree planting contributes to greening Auckland

March 4, 2020

The addition of thousands of trees to Manurewa’s Totara Park over the last year, continues to play a significant role in the greening of Auckland.

Auckland’s Million Trees project saw more than half a million new, predominantly native trees and shrubs, planted across the region last year alone.

Manurewa Local Board chair Joseph Allan advises "Auckland Council’s urban ngahere strategy is to have 15% average tree canopy cover in local board areas, so we have been pleased so many groups have joined hundreds of community volunteers at planting days at Totara Park and other spots across Manurewa.

“We have to acknowledge the Friends of Totara Park too, who do an outstanding job of building interest in supporting a park that plays such a big part in Manurewa residents’ lives.”

Allan notes that the range of Totara Park supporters is diverse, with one valued partnership involving the mountain bike club.

Allan adds “members have fenced off areas and built tracks but then they have planted them out and taken responsibility for maintaining them, and they’ve also become great pest eradicators, tackling possums, rabbits and stoats.”

Some of the planting undertaken across the area has also been designed to prevent cattle from entering the headwaters of the Puhinui Stream, a move critical to improving the health of the Manukau Harbour.

Allan also advised “we are undertaking water quality testing in coastal and inland sites and our efforts around the Puhinui Stream will help inanga re-establish, and the lessons we are learning are being applied to Papakura Stream.

“More than 100,000 plants have gone into Totara Park alone and that is great for the environment and our birdlife.

“We all want to be able to say we did our best to safeguard and improve our home.

“It’s a pleasure to have so many Manurewa residents working with the board at planting days to join the fight to create a greener environment.”

Regular planting days are scheduled for Totara Park and other Manurewa venues this year, and the board hopes as many people as possible take part.

Climate change, more severe weather events, changed seasonal rainfall patterns and increased susceptibility to pests and diseases all impact the city’s trees.

Details of planting days across the Manurewa Local Board area are regularly included on the board’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ManurewaLB/

Image courtesy of Auckland Council

17th November 2019 - Auckland Council secures awards for parks and playgrounds excellence

15th August 2019 - Auckland tourism and events agency achieves global recognition for environmental performance

14th June 2019 - More Auckland parks being shut due to kauri dieback

28th October 2017 - Community Greening wins national award of excellence for Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

17th July 2016 - $10 million initiative to change the greening of public spaces

19th October 2012 - Registrations open for Greening Cities Conference

8th September 2019 - City of Perth Urban Forest program acknowledged for role in improving public health

5th July 2019 - World Urban Parks awards Auckland’s Shakespear Regional Park

15th October 2018 - International Parks Congress highlights the value of green urban spaces

7th September 2018 - Melbourne to host Australia’s first urban forestry school

16th July 2018 - World Urban Parks awards international gold star of approval to Sydney’s Centennial Parklands

2nd May 2018 - World Parks Week showcases the value of urban green space

23rd March 2018 - Campbelltown Council launches green plan to counter urban heat islands

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