Auckland, New Zealand
City population: 1657000
Duration: 2017 – ongoing
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Natural Heritage Area/Untouched nature, Public Greenspace Area
Last updated: April 2022

The Million Trees project was a programme launched by Auckland Mayor Phil Goff in 2017 to plant a million predominantly native trees and shrubs over a period of three years (Ref. 1,2,3,4). It aimed to make Auckland a greener, more beautiful place while creating carbon sinks, protecting the city’s waterways and improving the city’s living environment (Ref. 2,4). The programme engaged a variety of actors in the planting activities, including local boards, iwi, schools, service and social sector groups, private entities, the council group, the New Zealand Transport Association (Ref. 1). Particularly notable partnerships included those with the Department of Corrections and the Trees that Count Trust (Ref. 2,4,6). The initial goal was met in 2019, and the project has been renewed for 2019-2022 (Ref. 1,7).

1 Million Trees Planted
Source: Ref. 6

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Blue infrastructure
  • Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
  • Parks and urban forests
  • Large urban parks or forests

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change mitigation
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Habitat and biodiversity conservation
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Improvements to water quality

Focus

Creation of new green areas

Project objectives

The Million Trees project sought to plant 1 million trees to green and beautify the city, as well as create carbon sinks to offset greenhouse gases, prevent siltation of Auckland’s harbours and waterways, and improve the city’s living environment through the involvement of the Auckland community (Ref. 2,3,4). The city mayor stated that “the Million Trees project is about involving all of our community in making Auckland a better place to live and enhancing our living environment.” (Ref. 2)

Implementation activities

A variety of planting events took place throughout the city of Auckland (Ref. 1,2,). These include corporate and school planting days and community planting days (Ref. 1). Some of the planting locations included: Oakley Creek Catchment, North West Wild Link, Puhinui Reserve, Atiu Creek, Whau River project in Henderson, Project Twin Streams, Tapapakanga Regional Park, Hosking Reserve, Sanders Reserve, Totara Park, Harbourview-Orangihina Park, and Hunua Domain (Ref. 1,2,4,5). ‘The Department of Corrections [delivered] nursery space for thousands of trees and shrubs [and] provided labour to assist with site preparation, planting and maintenance through their prisons and community offender services in Auckland’ (Ref. 2). ‘Trees that Count assisted with planting trees and [undertaking] a robust and independent running count of the trees delivered from the programme’ (Ref. 2).

Climate-focused activities

Climate change mitigation:

  • Increase green urban nature for carbon storage (wetlands, tree cover)

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity conservation:

  • Protect and enhance urban habitats
  • Create new habitats
  • Protect species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect native species
  • Means for conservation governance
  • Public engagement

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

- Mayor Phil Goff – launched the programme, served as a big part of his mayoral campaign (Ref. 1,2,7). - City Council – led programme and financer of the project (Ref. 1,2,7). - Department of Corrections – provision of nursery space & ‘labor to assist with site preparation, planting and maintenance through their prisons and community offender services in Auckland’ (Ref. 2,4). - Trees that Count Trust – assistance in planting trees & keeping a running count of trees delivered within the programme (Ref. 2). - Te Whangai Trust nursery – donated trees and plants to the programme (Ref. 2,4). - Other actors involved in the planting include local boards, iwi, schools [e.g. Wesley Intermediate (Ref. 2,4), De La Salle College (Ref. 5)], service and social sector groups, community groups [e.g. Papakura Sea Scouts (Ref. 5)], private entities, and the New Zealand Transport Association (Ref. 1).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? No
... a national policy or strategy? No
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (Part of Mayor's priorities/ environmental policy (Ref. 1,7))

Financing

Total cost

€500,000 - €2,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution
  • Provision of land
  • Provision of goods
  • Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
  • Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
  • Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
  • Other

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area

Economic impacts

  • Other

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
  • Increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Cultural heritage and sense of place
  • Protection of natural heritage
  • Other

Type of reported impacts

Achieved impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

Yes

References

1. Auckland Council. (2021). Million Trees. Auckland Council. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 14 September 2021].
2. Our Auckland. (2017). Mayor launches Million Trees initiative. Our Auckland. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 14 September 2021].
3. The Project Crimson Trust. (2021). Auckland Council 1 Million Trees programme. Trees that Count. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 14 September 2021].
4. The Tindall Foundation. (2017). Million trees unearth partners to plant 170,000 trees and shrubs in 1st year. The Tindall Foundation. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 14 September 2021].
5. The Tindall Foundation. (2019). Final Push for Mayor’s Million Trees. The Tindall Foundation. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 14 September 2021].
6. Our Auckland. (2019). Mayor Goff hits million tree mark. Our Auckland. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 14 September 2021].
7. Rosenberg, M. (2019). Phil Goff promises 1.5 million trees for Auckland ahead of local body election. Stuff Limited. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 14 September 2021].
Trees that Count - Million Trees Plantings
Source: Ref. 3, Trees that Count
Mayor Goff and volunteers at the planting event
Source: Ref. 6
Mayor Goff in Hunua Ranges Regional Park
Source: Ref. 7, Abigail Dougherty
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the UNA global extension project funded by the British Academy.