T-shirt Art to support Nelson Fire Recovery ‘Tees For Trees'

Moved by the recent forest fires in the Nelson-region, local brand ‘The Paper Rain Project’, has released a not-for-profit t-shirt in support of native plantings in the Nelson region.

Although a substantial area of forestry was affected, the fire also had devastating effects on the lowland bush area of Eves Valley. The Paper Rain Project is connecting a community who wants to help, directly with the restoration projects. Donated funds will see trainee DOC rangers overseeing the restoration of damaged native areas in 2019/20.

All profits from the sale of these t-shirts will go towards pre-purchasing native seedlings at a local eco-sourced tree nursery.

“Eves Valley Scenic Reserve has been badly affected by the Dovedale fire but somehow miraculously avoided becoming a total loss,” says DOC Biodiversity Ranger, Roger Gaskell. “Tucked away in a corner of the Waimea Plains the reserve is a nationally important fragment of our natural heritage. It represents the last vestige of the formerly extensive Waimea Plains original forest, an ancient forest thousands of years old that saw the arrival of humans in New Zealand. [The Paper Rain Project’s] generous ‘Tees for Trees’ offer will help heal damage to this precious taonga by providing fire resistant native trees for Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology Ranger Trainees to plant as part of their reserve restoration project.”

The Paper Rain Project is no stranger to supporting causes. A percentage of profits from every one of their fair trade, organic t-shirt artworks is donated to one of a number of charities. 100% of profits from the ‘Tees for Trees’ shirts will be donated to the cause.

“As New Zealanders, and part of a community which has seen more than its share of wild fires, we are devastated by the loss of trees in Nelson,” says Paper Rain co-founder, Indigo Greenlaw. “Seeing it on the news shook us up and we wanted to do something to help. We have a tribe of customers who rally together to support causes they care about and plenty of our fair trade, organic shirts to support it. ‘Tees for Trees’ gives people the opportunity to connect with a cause that will make a positive difference for the future. We all want to do our best to support our local communities and nature areas we love so much.”

Native bush is a natural fire retardant. According to the New Zealand Fire Service, the replacement of high flammability species (such as pine) with lower flammability species (such as many NZ natives) can reduce fire hazard. With Summer temperatures and drought rates rising each year due to change in climate, it’s more important than ever that we seek to prevent future fires from being even more devasting.

In order to spread the message and plant more trees, customers are asked to take a selfie in the ‘Tees For Trees’ shirt and share it on social media with the hashtag #teesfortreesnelson.


The fair trade, organic ‘Tees for Trees’ shirts, are available at $45 at www.thepaperrainproject.co.nz

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