Air NZ Environment Trust launches Kids restore NZ

Media Release
1 December 2008

Air New Zealand Environment Trust launches Kids restore New Zealand

The Air New Zealand Environment Trust today announced a new programme to assist with restoring the environment for New Zealand school children.

Kids restore New Zealand is a special project under the auspices of the Environment Trust which will encourage children to show leadership in their communities through environmental activities.

Trust Chair Norm Thompson says our communities will rely on the kids of today to make a serious difference to environmental issues and that finding ways to encourage them to show the leadership necessary was a priority.

“Most kids now live in a city and many will not have heard a kiwi at night in the bush or even seen a weta” he said. “We need young people to understand the urgency of protecting what we have left and restoring what habitat we can.”

Kids restore New Zealand will work directly with schools to find significant community projects which will make a difference to New Zealand’s environment. The children will be the project leaders and will be expected to liaise and work with other community groups, including local councils, to develop the project plan.

In 2009, Kids restore New Zealand will be working with five schools across New Zealand who will be involved in a variety of projects. An announcement of the projects will be made early next year.

The Air New Zealand Environment Trust was set up in March this year to give Air New Zealand customers the opportunity to directly contribute to environmental restoration.

The Trust is committed to supporting projects that support New Zealand’s clean green reputation as well as funding research.

The first project of the Trust has been a conservation programme involving the planting of more than 85,000 trees on Mangarara Station in the Hawkes Bay. This will result in the setting up of a conservation estate which will be accessible by New Zealanders.

ENDS

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