Proving that a lot of little labours can grow into lofty results, Sunnyhills School students dug deep with their environmental efforts recently.
Thirty pupils and parent volunteers planted 880 native trees as part of the Trees for Survival programme, the school’s education for sustainability teacher, Christine Daniel, confirms.
“Their work will protect waterways and mitigate climate change. [Trees for Survival] empowers children to nurture and grow natives and be active in environmental restoration,” she says.
“The planting was particularly pleasing this year as, not only was it a record number [of trees planted] for the school, but the planting will offset more than half of the school’s annual carbon footprint, according to new Ministry of Education data.”
However, the benefits were more straightforward to one young environmentalist, Annabelle, who simply stated that it was great to be outside planting trees… and getting muddy.
Sunnyhills’ sustainability specialist programme involves children in a range of initiatives including growing kai, composting, waste audits, pest plant control, bird surveys and growing native trees. More information is accessible via shsenvironmental.blogspot.com.
