Tend a seed for tomorrow
by Wakatipu Reforestation Trust
It is often said around Queenstown but worth saying again: it’s a rare privilege to live somewhere with a pristine natural environment on the doorstep. Immersing ourselves in the natural world does wonders for our mental and physical health and helps us gain perspective on life.
If you’d like to make a difference and improve our local environment in a tangible way, consider volunteering at the Jean Malpas Community Nursery in Kelvin Heights. Not only do you get some “green time” but there’s the added bonus of connecting with like-minded people.
Since 2014, the nursery has grown over 10,000 native plants from eco-sourced seeds and cuttings each year. These young trees and shrubs are carefully tended until they’re ready to plant out at our keystone sites, such as Whitechapel Reserve and Slope Hill Reserve, for the public (and birds) to enjoy.
We regularly get good numbers of volunteers at our community planting days in spring and autumn, but would love to see some new faces helping out at the nursery on Wednesdays.
Sun-soaked and ringing with bird-song, the Jean Malpas Nursery is a very pleasant spot to spend a wintery Wednesday. It borders the thriving Welcome Forest in Jardine Park and includes a Reference Garden where visitors can learn about the kinds of plants endemic to the Whakatipu Basin.
Winter sessions run every Wednesday from 12.30pm to 3.30pm and are drop-in style, so you can give as much time as you’ve got. Working from home? An hour in the nursery is a great way to spend a lunch break!
Nursery tasks are suitable for all ages and levels of ability and fitness. From preparing seeds and repotting fledgling plants, to weeding young plants and general nursery maintenance, there’s a job for everyone.
Our volunteer coordinator is on hand to demonstrate and guide new volunteers. These sessions are social, informal and inclusive, with morning tea provided and great chats guaranteed. It’s an active way to meet new people while making a positive impact on restoring our native biodiversity.
If Wednesdays don’t work for you, we also run community planting days on Saturday mornings in spring and autumn. These are open to the entire community with jobs for everyone – and not just tree planting! Volunteers also help with morning tea, run the BBQ, construct plant protectors, and other tasks that help make planting days run smoothly.
We all enjoy the beautiful landscapes outside our windows – how special then, to contribute to their ecological health.
To find out more about volunteering at the nursery or coming along to planting days, please visit www.wrtqt.org.nz, or email us at
volunteer@wrtqt.org.nz
We would love to hear from you.
