Local Industry Planting Day Sees Another 2,400 Native Trees Planted at Jardine Park
More than 140 volunteers from across the Queenstown tourism industry rolled up their sleeves on Thursday, 16 October for the annual Industry Planting Day, contributing another 2,400 native trees to the ongoing restoration of Jardine Park.
Now in its second year of a three-year restoration programme, the large-scale planting event at Jardine Park is a collaborative effort between Love Queenstown, the Whakatipu Reforestation Trust, Skyline Queenstown, and the Queenstown Lakes District Council. Additional support this year came from Air New Zealand, Trees That Count, Bupa, TRAC and Ryd.
Together, volunteers from local tourism operators, businesses, and community groups helped accelerate the regeneration of one of the Whakatipu Reforestation Trust’s nine keystone sites, an important habitat area on the edge of Lake Whakatipu.
Sararose Brown, Operations Manager at the Whakatipu Reforestation Trust, says continued collaboration is key to achieving long-term restoration success.
“This project is a wonderful example of what happens when industry and community work hand in hand. Each year we see this site come alive with new growth, and with the energy and care of the volunteers who make it possible.”
For Love Queenstown, the event represents the heart of its mission to connect the visitor industry with local environmental action.
“Seeing over 140 volunteers come together from across the industry really shows the collective commitment to giving back to the places that sustain us,” says Ash Bickley, Love Queenstown Community Fund Coordinator. “It’s about building climate resilience, supporting biodiversity, and creating a legacy we can all be proud of.”
Since its launch, Love Queenstown has worked to accelerate grassroots environmental efforts across the region - funding local projects, supporting volunteer action, and building partnerships that restore and protect the natural environment.
Jardine Park’s restoration continues to be a standout example of that partnership in action. With more than 4,400 native trees planted over the past two years, the project is steadily transforming the site into a thriving native ecosystem for future generations.
For more information on future planting events or to get involved, visit www.loveqt.co.nz.
