Worried about climate change and the price of fruit and veg? NZ Charity Pollinator Paths receives recognition for empowering Kiwis to collaborate on climate action.

As the bad weather continues to rain on us, and winter keeps us tucked up inside, Pollinator Paths founder, Andrea Reid, is reminding us all that this can be a great time of year to get those fruit trees and natives into the ground to give them the best chance for our long, hot, dry seasons, even more important as food and fuel prices skyrocket.

“Nature is really good at setting itself up for success. We just need to do things at the right time, and winter means lots of soil moisture, and an opportunity for roots to settle and spread over the next couple of months in time for spring. There are still those beautiful, sun filled winter days to make the most of getting outdoors and connecting with nature.” Andrea says.

Andrea, who is a Landscape Architect and Urban Designer for Urban Edge Planning is also co-founder of an upcoming spring and summer campaign supporting and rewarding New Zealanders to record what they’ve got growing at home. The project, in partnership with PlantMe.io, leading Kiwi brands, and supported by Wellington City Council and Upper Hutt City Council, will be one of New Zealand’s largest citizen science projects, aiming to supply school classes around the country with “Ready to Grow'' kits and encouraging everyone to start earning rewards through growing on the PlantMe.io web app. The New Zealand Growathon invites us all to grow, and will map the green being put back in communities, with the climate and biodiversity impact being reported and measured.

“We know that if everyone does a little, it adds up to a lot. Climate change and our biodiversity crisis needs collaboration across business, government, councils and everyday people. Our Growathon campaign is designed to allow everyone to play their part, and to measure that impact, proving what’s possible when we all work together” says Andrea who is already seeing interest amongst her clients in her day job, now considering how to better mitigate and adapt to climate change in the Wellington Region when building new properties.

There is such an incredible opportunity to build our natural environment into our urban landscapes, linking our green spaces and allowing nature to thrive rather than boring lawns or seas of concrete. The climate impact could be huge too, with a study suggesting that urban gardens could reduce emissions reduction targets by 7.8%. That’s a 500 million dollar saving in Aotearoa while bringing all sorts of other social and environmental benefits like affordable plant based food, habitat for our unique and taonga pollinator species, soil creation and circular food systems, reduced food waste, and improved health and wellbeing. The good is really quite endless.

You can find Andrea this coming weekend at Festival for the Future, held at the TSB Arena in Wellington, where she is a finalist in this year’s Climate category of the Impact Awards. 

If you’d like to find out more about Pollinator Path’s work, what to plant for our pollinators, and get involved with the Growathon, you can donate, volunteer or signup to get updates here.

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