Living Legends Muck-in Ōtukaikino Reserve

Main Road North, Belfast, Christchurch
11 August 2012

Kia ora, it's great to be back here in Christchurch to celebrate the second year of the Living Legends project. It's also great to see so many people here today to help get these trees in the ground and to honour our local Rugby Legend, Tane Norton.

Firstly I'd like to acknowledge the organisations that continue to work hard to make the Living Legends projects happen - Project Crimson, The Tindall Foundation, Meridian and of course DOC.

I'd also like to welcome Christchurch's Mayor Bob Parker, and City Councillors Aaron Keown, Yani Johanson and Glenn Livingstone.

Living Legends continues to be an exciting project for DOC to be involved with. These plantings highlight our unique natural environment and give New Zealanders the chance to leave a lasting treasure and to help rebuild our special places.

Ōtukaikino Reserve is definitely a very special place. It is a significant site for Ngāi Tahu as it was once used in burial preparations and is designated a Wahi Tapu (or sacred) site. This reserve is one of the few remaining original wetlands that were once common in Christchurch.

While DOC has an important job to do, conservation is really the responsibility of all New Zealanders. Communities, like-minded organisations, iwi, private landowners, and businesses all have a role to play in helping to protect our natural environments for future generations.

We need to work beyond the lands and waters protected under the conservation estate and engage the whole of New Zealand in efforts to protect our unique species and special places. The Living Legends project is an excellent opportunity for all of us to do just that.

This is the second year we've taken part in plantings here at the Ōtukaikino Reserve as part of the Living Legends project.  Last year the planting was particularly poignant as it fell on the first anniversary of the September 4 earthquake.  The trees we planted then are flourishing, and serve to illustrate how resilient this city is.  I hope this project, and the opportunity it brings to take part in such good grass roots conservation work, continues long in to the future.

So once again it's great to see you all here and I'm looking forward to mucking-in to get the first tree in the ground!