Kiwibank has launched a new initiative that will see up to 10,000 native trees planted in two locations by the middle of next year.

In partnership with nationwide tree planting initiative, Trees That Count, Kiwibank will fund tree plantings at two native forestry restoration projects; Murapara’s Kani Rangi Park (Bay of Plenty) and Lyttelton’s Quail Island (Canterbury) to support their customers to switch to electronic statements and update their contact details online.

Read more about the Kani Rangi Park planting here.

Kiwibank Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Julia Jackson, said the scheme would help restore New Zealand’s native forests whilst also reducing unnecessary paper waste.

“We believe future generations of New Zealanders should be able to enjoy our precious environment just as nature intended it.  Through our work with the Department of Conservation, Predator Free New Zealand and now Trees That Count, we’ve made it our mission to protect the natural environment and support people who work to restore New Zealand’s natural environment.

“New Zealand has a proud tradition of community volunteerism.  Every weekend, thousands of Kiwis offer their time and money to help local regeneration projects, but it’s expensive and hard work.  We hope that with this partnership we can help them to keep doing this great work.

“We’re also giving our customers the chance to contribute to achieving this goal.  By updating their details online and switching to electronic statements, they too can play their part in bringing native trees and birds back to New Zealand.”

Launched in November 2016, Trees That Count is building New Zealand’s community marketplace for native tree planting.  This is part of an ambitious plan to create a movement where Kiwis unite to help restore and enhance the environment, encourage biodiversity, clean air and waterways and make a difference to climate change in New Zealand by planting native trees. Planting groups all over New Zealand are adding to a live tree-count, which in time will be used to measure the collective impact of the work that Kiwis do for the environment.

Since 2016, more than 7 million trees have been counted, and the project is increasingly enabling conservation groups to plant more trees.

It’s goal for 2017 is to see one native tree planted for every New Zealander, or 4.7 million trees.

Melanie Seyfort, Trees That Count Marketing and Communications Manager, said both Quail Island and Kani Rangi park restoration projects would be completed quicker thanks to Kiwibank’s 10,000 trees.

“Part of the vision of Trees That Count is to create a movement where New Zealanders unite to plant more native trees for climate change.

“Through the sponsorship partnerships we’re building, we’re beginning to help grassroots conservation groups plant more trees. Both of the groups receiving support through our partnership with Kiwibank are committed to long-term restoration of ecologically significant areas. It’s amazing to be able to hep realise their conservation goals earlier through this injection of native trees.”

The first native tree saplings will be planted on both Quail Island and Kani Rangi Park later this month and again in the middle of next year.