News Updates

TREEmendous Schools for 2020

A huge congratulations to the following four schools who have each won $10,000 to transform an unused area of their school grounds into an interactive outdoor learning space.

  • Burnside Primary School, Christchurch
  • Hobsonville Point Primary School, Auckland
  • Roslyn School, Palmerston North
  • Stanhope Road School, Auckland

The TREEmendous team look forward to working closely with the winning schools to develop a planting programme that suits the school’s environment and location.

Burnside Primary School in Christchurch plans to transform an unused area next to its field by planting hundreds of native trees, as well as adding seating, worm farms, native edible plants and further developing its existing butterfly garden. It believes that with the rise of technology and social media, it is more important than ever to teach students about the natural world and their place within it. The edible garden will be used to strengthen the school’s ties with local iwi who will teach tamariki about traditional preparation of food.

Roslyn School is a culturally diverse primary school in Palmerston North. It has plans to transform a large, unused area that is currently out of bounds into an interactive outdoor learning space. The school currently lacks an outdoor space that allows students to foster a connection to the natural environment. It believes a new outdoor learning area will give students an understanding of the world outside of the physical classroom and the importance of looking after the natural environment.

Hobsonville Point Primary School in Auckland is going to transform the 1000m2 area between its car park and vegetable garden by creating bee, gecko and weta habitats. It will also plant an area with native herbs and plants like kawa kawa and koromiko that can be used for rongoā (traditional Maori healing). The school hopes to create an outdoor learning area that will let students engage with nature and make their learning more authentic and also provide a space for reflection where staff and students can look after both their physical and mental wellbeing.

Lastly, Stanhope Road School, also in Auckland will focus on creating habitats and food for native birds, lizards and insects as well as planting a wildflower meadow and raised vegetable gardens. The school has a team of ‘Eco-Warriors’ who are passionate about improving and protecting the school’s environment. They also plan to install a rainwater harvesting feature that will be used to water the plants and fill up drinking stations for the animals and insects.

Six finalists also each received $500 each towards their projects.

Thank you to all our winners, finalists, and the other teachers and students around New Zealand who worked so hard on their applications. It is inspiring to see so many students passionate about learning about and caring for their local environments. It is great to know that our country’s beautiful ecosystems will be in safe hands with the next generation.

Since 2008, the TREEmendous team have transformed 49 schools from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South, creating outdoor learning spaces and planting more than 37,000 trees to help teachers and students all over the country to reconnect with nature.

Click here to check out the amazing transformations that have taken place previously.