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New Zealand will benefit greatly from the nationwide planting project Living Legends, which saw 8320 volunteers plant 170,000 native trees throughout the country from 2011-2013.

This hugely successful community conservation project run by Project Crimson has published an e-book to celebrate the success of the initiative which was established in 2011 to celebrate New Zealand’s hosting of Rugby World Cup and leave a living legacy.

Seventeen community planting projects were undertaken, each honouring a local rugby legend including, Sir Colin Meads, Christian Cullen, John Sturgeon and Sir Brian Lochore, all of whom were involved in planting days.

These 170,000 natives are now spread right across the country and will enhance some of our most special parks and reserves. Trees play an important role in moderating our climate, improving our air quality, providing homes for native wildlife and landscapes for us to enjoy.

Whilst the public planting events concluded in 2013, Living Legends has a commitment to ensure ecological credibility so maintenance and protection of the plants will continue for years to come.

The idea for Living Legends came in 2009, when The Tindall Foundation asked Project Crimson to lead a project that would create a green legacy during Rugby World Cup 2011. Meridian and the Department of Conservation then joined the project to give New Zealanders and international visitors the opportunity to enjoy and contribute to the environment.

 Trevor Gray, Special Projects Manager at The Tindall Foundation said: “Living Legends was an amazing achievement. The professionalism, experience and dedication of the Living Legends project team to achieve this impressive array of results is appreciated and admired.”

Read the Living Legens e-book here