This project focuses on the environment.

Article by PDG Liz Courtney, Assistant Rotary Regional Public Image Coordinator

Tree planting and creating green spaces in communities has been part of the DNA of the Rotary organisation since it began in Chicago over a 117 years ago. This tradition has been particularly strong in NZ.

Over 2 years ago I was approached as the Rotary Public Image Coordinator, by the Volunteers NZ group in Christchurch to help promote and be involved in representing Rotary’s interests. Working alongside this group and The Christchurch City Council has been an interesting and rewarding experience. The Rotary Peace, Remembrance, Community and Forest Park was born out of a major disaster – the 2011 earthquakes which devasted large tracts of land and displaced large parts of the Christchurch population. This area is known as the Dallington Loop and has the Avon River running alongside it. The City Council designated this area to be known as the green spine site due to its ecological significance.

2021 was the centenary of Rotary in NZ. As part of the celebrations and the Wellington Rotary Club applied to Te Uru Rakau for funding to support the aims of the centenary project and was successful in getting to plant 200,000 native plants over two seasons. The Rotary Peace, Remembrance and Community Forest Trust was set up to administer the grant. The Trust funds up to 45% of the cost and Conservation Volunteers NZ with the Trust, act as Project Managers.

The Trust is currently funding 12 projects sites from North Auckland to Otago involving the 220,00 plants. The Dallington landing site in the green spine being the flagship site for the Trust with its significance to the social, cultural and ecological fabric of Christchurch epitomises what the Trust is all about – Peace, Remembrance and Community. It is something Christchurch can identify with very well after experiencing earthquakes and the Mosque Shootings. The Trust is supporting the planting of 42,000 trees on this site.

On the 7th August 2021 the first planting began with many Rotary clubs joining DG Nick Courtney, Conservation Volunteers NZ and people from the local community to plant 2,500 trees in 90 minutes! What is really lovely is that some of the trees from the 40 parcels of land where houses once stood still have lemon trees, other fruiting plants and established trees that remain. We have now tripled that planting with subsequent community planting days. The residents who border this space are often seen picking the fruit and distributing them to the locals.

We continue to have ongoing planting days each month although COVID restrictions and lockdowns have interrupted over this last year.

However, during periods when we could come together it has been the one project that many have be involved. During periods when we could come together it was the one project that many could be involved as it was outside, and we could social distance. It gave us the opportunity to socialise and get our hands dirty when so many projects had been cancelled or postponed. An opportunity to talk to others and feel we were still able to make a difference.

The benefits of this project are huge. Rotary has been given visibility in the local community, and on social media. By working alongside Conservation Volunteers NZ it has also given Rotary other small projects, e.g. a recent Beach Clean-up, the Papanui Bush renewal, and highlighted other planting opportunities we can work on together in Christchurch. It has shown the public that Rotary is not only made up of men, but women and families.

It also gives working members the opportunity to volunteer on a project over a weekend which at times is missing in our club calendars and has kept them engaged.

We have just finished the last planting for the third session and will now have the opportunity to have some maintenance days over the summer months.

What I have learnt with my continuing engagement as the Community Liaison contact for both the old D9970 and now D9999 is the following;

• Look for partnerships with organisations who share the same goal, vision and ethos as Rotary.
• Listen and ask people who are expressing an interest in Rotary “what would you like to do?”
• Do your research and develop a plan of action.
• If we are truly invested in diversity seek out women, connect with different cultural groups, look at the businesses in your local areas.
• When partnering agree on an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) so you are clear about the expectations.
• Look at the sustainability of the project so you understand the look at long term effects and consequences.
• Promote it – don’t hide the good work Rotary and your partnership is / has achieved together.

“It is our offer of hands-on service, personal growth, leadership development, and lifelong friendships that creates purpose and passion,”

Let’s create partnerships that grow Rotary not just in members but in ourselves.