Stylised flat colour illustration of trees, blue sky, and two people pointing at birds in the sky

Growing our future

The University is working with Wellington City Council and Conservation Volunteers New Zealand to help restore native forests around the Wellington region.

Get involved

Registrations are now open for our 2026 Growing our Future planting days on 24 and 25 July.
Student planting native tree
New Zealand native fern

Growing our future

Planting more native trees is an important action we can all take to tackle climate change. We’re excited about our environmental partnership with Wellington City Council. Our aim is to create a new carbon sink in the city's Outer Green Belt in Ohariu Valley and become a net zero-carbon organisation by 2030.

About the Ohariu Valley

Bartlett's rātā

Carbon sequestration

The Growing Our Future reforestation project is a significant part of the University's strategy to become carbon neutral by 2030. Trees and other plants convert carbon dioxide gas to carbohydrates via photosynthesis, sequestering or removing it from the atmosphere for the lifetime of the plant.