President Paul Treacher (right) with Roger Milne, Manager of Trees for SurvivalTrees for Survival began as a programme and was introduced to New Zealand by Rotary Past District Governor Noel Holyoake.

Trees for Survival began as a programme and was introduced to New Zealand by Rotary Past District Governor Noel Holyoake.

It was first adopted by the Rotary Club of Pakuranga when 3 schools were established in 1991.

Devonport Rotary has proudly supported this programme at Stanley Bay Scool and Takapuna Grammar. In total there are 34 following Rotary Clubs which now support Trees for Survival, either financially, or by providing people to help “hands on” with the programme itself, in a school.

As Manager of Trees for Survival, Roger Milne is responsible for operations, and deals with all new enquiry from both schools and sponsors. Roger is a Rotarian at Pakuranga, and has been in the horticultural industry much of his life.

Roger also described how this organisation is changing to put a greater emphasis on getting funding from businesses with a sustainability ethos, so as to reduce the costs for participating schools. The programme has ambitious targets in getting many more schools enrolled and in improving the propagation techniques to give a faster turnaround from seedling to planting.

To find out more about Trees for Survival click here