Posted by Jed Wieland on May 03, 2018

Roger told us that the Trees for Survial (TFS) scheme now operated successfully in 135 school, but that there was much potential and he underscored again the intention to grow the number of schools by 25 a year and 200 schools by 2020.

Plans to update the way seedlings were delivered to schools means that the young seedlings will arrive in trays from which they are taken as “plugs” and then put straight into plastic bags ready for planting when the time is right.   Roger sad that each school will receive 1,000 plugs a year with enough potting mix in a single once a year delivery.

Currently the growing units are constructed in East Tamaki by Rollformers but this is soon to be taken over by the Men’s Shed organisation and if not already, will represent their number one community project.

TFS has received a generous donation from the Potter Masonic Trust.   Individual schools will be responsible for the first $1,000 of the cost of a growing unit and the Trust has agree to contribute to the balance.
Roger’s presentation highlighted the enormity of the Government’s tree planting programme and the role that TFS is playing in engaging our young environmentalists of the future.