Image: Bruce Stanger (President) and Bruce Lochore (CEO) helping out at the tree planting.

With a proud history of caring for the environment, the NZMCA launched its Greenfund initiative by partnering with Greenfleet to plant native trees at the Auckland Council’s new Te Muri Regional Park.

In 2017, the Association donated $10,000 to plant some 2,500 native trees – including pohutukawa, karaka, rewarewa, puriri, tanekaha and kahikatea – in a 2.5ha area of the park. Around 25 local NZMCA members, Board members and national office staff assisted with the tree planting. 

Greenfleet is an environmental not-for-profit organisation with a 20-year plus track record in connecting people with real climate action. Overtime, their biodiverse native forests grow into resilient ecosystems and help restore habitat for native wildlife. As they grow, the trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere which help reduce theconcentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, responsible for climate change. Greenfleet protects its forests for up to 100 years.

The benefits to the community and the environment of Greenfleet’s good work includes:

• Addressing deforestation;
• Sequestering carbon and providing climate change resilience;
• Improving water and soil quality – reducing salinity and soil erosion;
• Providing a habitat for native wildlife; and
• Leaving a legacy by protecting our environment for the next generation.

Te Muri Regional Park – which is about 45 minutes drive north of central Auckland – was purchased by the Auckland Council in 2010 and is a beautiful spot overlooking Mahurangi Harbour. There are future plans to improve access into the park to eventually accommodate motorhomes and caravans overnight.

Click here for photos of Te Muri and the native tree planting efforts.

Image: project plans include clearing of pest weeds and ongoing animal pest control.

This community-led project includes the clearing of invasive weeds, mass native tree planting, and ongoing animal pest control to help restore a natural wetland located adjacent to the Plimmerton NZMCA Park. 

Formed in 2018 by a group of Porirua residents, Friends of Taupo Swamp & Catchment (FOTSC) has grown out of concern for the protection and enhancement of the Taupo Swamp and catchment and its functioning and vibrant ecosystems – they are a community-led group of volunteers.

FOTSC work with national bodies, local authorities and landowners to protect and enhance the unique ecological values of the Taupo Stream catchment in Plimmerton, Porirua. FOTSC promotes and coordinates community discussion, involvement and support for the protection and restoration of the area. To do this, they engage with a wide range of stakeholders who share similar values.

The NZMCA has contributed $2,000 towards the Taupo Swamp wetlands restoration project. “FOTSC is very grateful for the inaugural grant of $2,000 from NZMCA’s Greenfund – this will pay for some 400 native trees which will grow to enhance the area NZMCA members look out onto on the south side of the Plimmerton Park. Members will have the opportunity to become involved in clearing, weeding and planting over the next months and years – the Local Area Committee will keep members up to date with any planned work days", says Judy McKoy, of FOTSC.

Click here for drone footage of the wetlands project area.

Click here to read a copy of a related article printed in The Motor Caravanner issue 340 (August/September 2019).

This project was established by ‘Love the Lyell Group’ – an organisation run by the Kaikoura community, with support from the Kaikoura District Council, Environment Canterbury and a host of other local business and community groups.

The project aims to clean up and remove rubbish from Lyell Creek and surrounding beaches to improve freshwater and local marine areas. It also aims to improve water quality of Lyell Creek through native riparian planting. Local children who participate in community-run events learn how to respect and protect our local environment. Read here for information on a event held 3 October 2019. 

Kaikoura is a special place for many NZMCA members. Not only is it an official Motorhome Friendly Town, members have exclusive access to two NZMCA Parks at both ends of town – one at the Racecourse and another on Old Beach Road.  The NZMCA has contributed $3,000 towards the Lyell Creek project, which will provide opportunities for NZMCA members visiting the area to participate in future restoration and clean up events.

Our contribution includes $1,500 that was donated to the NZMCA in 2016 by thl, on behalf of all the rental companies involved, in recognition of the many NZMCA Canterbury and North Canterbury members who helped relocate stranded rental vehicles after the Kaikoura earthquake.