The complex environmental, social, cultural and economic challenges facing us today call for a holistic response from a range of different people and organisations working together.
Toimata Foundation is delighted with the outcomes of partnering with the One Billion Trees Programme (1BT) through Te Uru Rākau NZ Forest Service (TURNZFS). In 2022 much of this funding has been spent regionally to “grow and extend action on the ground through holistic, ecosystem approaches in the Enviroschools Te Aho Tū Roa networks”.
Students from Appleby School, Tè Tai o Aorere/ Tasman, plant as part of the Waimea River restoration.
This opportunity has generated capacity to support a range of ecological restoration projects in our Enviroschools communities and provide hands-on learning experiences for ākonga, showcasing the value of a holistic approach towards tree planting. We have been working with our regional coordinators to distribute 1BT funds to where it can make a difference in local communities. In 2022 the opportunity was taken up by 10 regions.
Due to the nature of our network, small amounts of funding can make a really meaningful difference. This is because we have established and trust-based relationships with groups (schools, kindergartens, communities, hapu, iwi etc.) that are already on a sustainability journey that includes ecological restoration.
Our kaupapa engages people at a deep level and supports them to see the big picture of sustainability and implement this in locally important and culturally relevant ways. This means that projects innately encompass diverse concepts such as climate action, biodiversity restoration, whanaungatanga, waste reduction, manaakitanga, and hauora.
Intergenerational learning at Waitaki Valley School.
At the start of 2022 we formally sought applications from our regional teams for projects that would benefit from 1BT funding during the 2022 school year. Funding for 10 projects was allocated:
- Two regions – Te Taitokerau/ Northland and Te Tairāwhtii/Gisborne – supported localised propagation through funds for school/community nurseries.
- Four regions – Waikato, Te Matau ā Māui/ Hawke’s Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, and Otago –provided funds to restoration action projects led by schools via an application process.
- Five regions – Taranaki, Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui/Wellington, Te tai o Aorere/ Tasman, Te Tai Poutini/ West Coast and Murihiku/ Southland –identified and supported specific school and community planting projects.
Some of these projects are celebrated through snapshots provided below or in more in-depth stories found via the links.
Enviroschools | One Billion Trees partnership helps nurture nature around Ōtākou.
Enviroschools | 1 Billion Trees partnership helps promote restoration project
Enviroschools | WaiRestoration helped through 1 Billion Trees funding
Enviroschools | Student led restoration helps cloak Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui
We mihi to Te Uru Rākau and the Enviroschools communities who have made a difference to the natural biodiversity of our country.
Banner image: Students, staff and parents from Central Takaka School have been gathering tōtora seeds from Paines Ford Reserve
