Hundreds come together to plant 5000 trees in one of Christchurch’s largest-ever volunteer planting days

The first spade went in at 9am, and by 11.30am it was done – 5000 trees planted in one of Christchurch’s largest-ever volunteer planting days, an effort that will help spark a new future for one of the city’s quake-damaged suburbs.

For 83-year-old Peter Hallinan​ taking part was a spiritual journey.

“I don’t have much longer on this earth, but I feel like I will live on in these plants and trees.”

Hallinan reckons he planted about 30 natives during The Press-sponsored Forever Trees planting event around Horseshoe Lake in the Burwood red zone on Sunday.

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He was joined by about 350 other volunteers who took just two and a half hours to plant 5000 trees, including 280 kahikatea, 270 mataī, 70 tōtara, 180 wineberry trees, 150 mānuka, 440 cabbage trees, 300 kōwhai, and 10 weeping matipo.

Two of those mataī trees were planted by Sheila Hailstone​ in memory of her niece, who recently died in the UK, and her late mother.

She was joined by friends from the Christchurch Women’s Toastmasters Club, who also planted trees in memory of loved ones.

Elsa Kipa​ said for her, the planting was about healing Papatūānuku (Mother Earth), but she also found it a healing experience for herself.

“It was the most amazing experience.”

The land, which used to have a number of homes on it, was badly damaged in the 2010/2011 earthquakes.

The Crown eventually bought the properties and demolished the houses, but the land has since sat fenced and undeveloped.

Sarah Shepherd​, who lives across the road from the reserve and took part in the planting with her 6-year-old son Carter Rhind​ and his friend Kester Stamps​, said she was happy to see something being done with the land.

“We get to watch them grow from our home.”

Meanwhile, Carter was having a great time digging holes for the plants and discovering worms.

Nearby resident Courtney Henderson​ was also there with her chil Cooper, 3, who loves digging, and Addison, 5, who brought along Ted, her classroom soft toy, for a wee adventure.

Henderson said they planted about 25 trees and would definitely be back to watch their progress.

Riccarton man Eric Yu​, who took part in the day with his sons Samuel, 4, and Nathan, 6, said he wanted to teach his kids about the environment and that it was important to plant trees to help offset carbon emissions.

The Forever Trees planting day was supported by Trees That Count, the Christchurch City Council and Conservation Volunteers NZ.

Courtney Reid,​ the council’s community partnerships red zone ranger, said without the community support it would have taken a long time for the council’s red zone maintenance crew of 25 to plant the 5000 trees.

She said there were so many benefits to getting the community involved in plantings.

“It’s not just restoration of the land, it’s a restoration of the mind as well.”

The Press editor Kamala Hayman said she was truly humbled by the hundreds of Cantabrians who turned out to show their commitment to the city, to the environment and to our future.

“It shows a real commitment and enthusiasm for regenerating native forest in the red zone.”

The event also part of the city’s push to be recognised as a National Park City, a global movement aimed at enhancing the natural environments of urban areas.

Conservation Volunteers NZ regional manager Hamish Fairbairn​ said the scale of the event was vast and the turnout of volunteers was awesome, much larger than other plantings he had been involved with.