Queenstown AccorHotels staff dig deep to help local schoolchildren plant trees for survival

Staff from Queenstown’s four AccorHotels properties were happy to dig deep and get their hands dirty to help local schoolchildren plant ‘Trees for Survival’.

Queenstown’s Hotel St Moritz, Sofitel Queenstown, Novotel Queenstown and Mercure Queenstown Resort are all proud to support the New Zealand initiative ‘Trees for Survival’ as it ties in with AccorHotels’ global CSR initiative ‘Plant for the Planet’.

Earlier this week they joined youngsters from Queenstown Primary School to plant around 600 flax and carex plants in a wetland area on the outskirts of the town’s CBD called Matakauri Park.

The plants were raised from tiny seedlings provided by AccorHotels in the school’s Growing Unit, and 150 Year 5 and Year 6 students carried out the planting with their willing helpers.

School parent Dawn Palmer, who originally drew up a planting plan for the site and has completed species studies in that area, oversaw the planting, and the Queenstown Lakes District Council helped prepare the site.

Hotel St Moritz Queenstown acting General Manager Jo Finnigan said the hotels were “delighted” to help youngsters in their local community with such an important project, especially as three of the four general managers have children at the school.

The children have been looking at the importance of the wetland and ‘Grey shrubland’ plants in supporting native ecosystems. They hope the new plants will help the regeneration of this area, providing resting places for travelling birds, nesting places and foraging and food sources.

“Queenstown is renowned for its outstanding natural beauty, and as hoteliers we recognize the need to continue to enhance and preserve this for future generations to enjoy,” said Ms Finnigan.

About Trees for Survival

Trees for Survival is an environmental education programme which involves young people growing and planting native trees to restore natural habitats by helping landowners revegetate erosion prone land, improve stream flow and water quality and increase biodiversity.

The Trees for Survival programme creates community partnerships by engaging schools, their community, local businesses and councils all working together to restore our natural heritage.

With over 5,000 school students involved and more than 70,000 trees planted each year, Trees for Survival has planted more than a million trees in its first 20 years.

ENDS

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