Planting kowhai trees is the Queenstown community activity organised by the Department of Conservation (Doc) Wakatipu district office as part of Conservation Week this year, and all are invited.
Ziptrek Ecotours will be supporting Conservation Week in several ways, including gifts of $2 from every guest who comes on tour, to be used for regeneration projects at Ziptrek.
Doc rangers will run the planting day for Project Gold at Lake Hayes Track, Rutherford Rd car park, on September 14 from 10am to noon.
Volunteers are advised to bring along sturdy footwear, gloves and something to drink. Tools will be provided.
Project Gold is a Doc-initiated project, sponsored by Kiwi Discovery, that is dedicated to protecting and enhancing kowhai trees in Otago.
Kowhai is a major food source for nectar-loving birds such as tui, bellbird and kaka.
Marketing and sales manager Nicky Busst said Ziptrek Ecotours this year will be using donated money to buy native trees and shrubs to plant on Bobs Peak. The adventure activity will also be accepting any extra donations directly from guests at both the Camp St outlet and the Ziptrek tree house.
Ziptrek staff are volunteering their time today to help Queenstown Primary School pupils plant some of the school's trees and plants given to them from Ziptrek's Paper4Trees sponsorship around the Ziptrek course area.
More planting is planned for later in September around the school grounds and at Horne Creek in Queenstown.
