Trees for Survival
Pukekohe, Auckland, New Zealand 路 Nonprofit 路 National 路 since 1991
NZ school students grow and plant native trees to restore waterways and erosion-prone land
About
Trees for Survival Charitable Trust runs an environmental education programme in which New Zealand school students raise native seedlings in on-site plant growing units and plant them with landowners to protect waterways and vulnerable land. It was started in 1991 by the Rotary Club of Pakuranga in Auckland and now works with more than 200 schools nationwide. The trust reports more than two million native plants planted since inception and has a goal of one million more by 2030.
What they run
Schools receive a plant growing unit and students raise native seedlings over the year, then plant them on partner land.
Landowners host school planting days on erosion-prone land and along waterways and maintain the plantings.
Campaign launched in 2025 to plant a further one million native plants by 2030.
The numbers
| Metric | Year | Value | Program | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trees planted | 2023 | 146,280 | Organization-wide | Self-reported | sourceTrust blog post '2 million trees and counting' (Feb 2024): '146,280 native plants planted in 2023', 216 schools, about 5,500 students |
| Trees planted | 2026 | 214,750 | Organization-wide | Self-reported | sourceHomepage counters: '214,750' native plants planted in the 2026 season ('so far this Season'), 252 schools, 7,049 students, 15 km of waterways |
| Trees plantedto date | 2026 | 2,000,000 | Organization-wide | Self-reported | sourceHomepage: '2M+ Total native plants planted' since 1991; the history page also says 'more than two million trees' planted over 30 years |
Upcoming events
None listed here right now. Send us their calendar feed. Their volunteer page is the place to look.