As part of an annual initiative organised by Conservation Volunteers New Zealand (CVNZ) and supported by the Business School’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee, an enthusiastic group of environmentally and community-conscious volunteers travelled to Ātiu Creek Regional Park on the shores of the stunning Kaipara Harbour to take part in a tree planting day.

As well as the obvious benefits of a day out in nature and interacting with peers, the event offered participants the opportunity to contribute to an exciting environmental restoration project: Restoring Ātiu Creek Ecology (RACE). RACE is run by CVNZ in partnership with Auckland Council and is helping to restore the environmental health of the 843 hectare regional park, which includes impressive stands of rare and ancient native forests, wetlands and estuarine mangroves.

Although the weather was surprisingly warm and sunny that day, event organizer and Career Development and Employment Liaison Manager Anastasia Timoshkina points out that heavy rain in the days leading up to the event made planting conditions difficult.

“The ground was very muddy and slippery, so it was a challenge to maintain stability on a muddy slope,” she recalls. “Nevertheless, we managed to plant 378 trees.”

The stunning views, pleasant conversations with colleagues and of course the satisfaction of supporting a valuable local environmental initiative made it all worthwhile. There were even learning opportunities: “Learning more about the trees we planted was a great way to educate ourselves about the environment in this area,” noted one participant.

The mahi of the day ended with a well-deserved barbecue lunch – and everyone agreed that the contact with colleagues outside the office was a clear highlight.

“It’s good for team building and relaxation,” said one volunteer. “It has a positive impact on the environment and our mental health.”

The event was a hat trick for the HSW committee, which has now organized these excursions for three years in a row. And with many participants planning to return, the future of the event – ​​and the RACE project – looks promising.