Brother New Zealand is pleased to announce their partnership with Trees That Count, a conservation charity bringing businesses, communities, and everyday Kiwis together with the vision of helping plant millions of native trees such as Kauri, Pōhutukawa, and Tōtara across Aotearoa.
Trees That Count was launched in November 2016 after the simple question “How many native trees are planted in New Zealand each year, and could we plant more to help mitigate climate change?” was asked.
Planting trees can make a huge difference in mitigating climate change and is one of the most powerful actions we can take as individuals. They not only help to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but they provide a habitat for our native birds, cleaner waterways, enhance the beauty of our cities and landscapes, and create places for our future tamariki to explore.
Making it easy for New Zealanders to help plant native trees through their online marketplace, Trees That Count match funded and gifted trees to planting groups around the country, who are committed to restoring and growing our unique flora and fauna. Eighty per cent of Aotearoa’s trees, ferns and flowering plants are not found anywhere else in the world.
Brother has a goal to fund a minimum of 500 native trees each year as part of its Managed Print Services offering to business customers. It is estimated that 500 trees are expected to remove more than 110 tonnes of CO2 emissions from the atmosphere over a 50-year period as the trees grow.
Brother’s partnership with Trees That Count aligns to the company’s global commitment to Sustainable Development Goals, a series of goals adopted by all United Nations Member States that define global priorities and aspirations for 2030. The goals provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet now and into the future.
In Aotearoa, twenty-five percent of the population on average experiences poor levels of mental health and emotional wellbeing1. Funding the planting of native trees helps to create more accessible green spaces. As little as 10 minutes a day in a natural setting can help people feel happier and lessen the effects of both physical and mental stress, promoting good health and wellbeing. They also strengthen our sense of spiritual connection to nature and whakapapa.
Economic growth, social development and climate action are heavily dependent on investments in infrastructure, sustainable industrial development, and technological progress. While native trees are great for our environment, they also help our economy. Our beautiful, lush landscapes are a part of our clean, green image and why our produce and products are highly sought after around the world. Native tree planting also creates jobs and keeps local nurseries thriving in our communities.
Aotearoa has lost 1.29 million hectares of tree cover (or 11 per cent) since 2000, and more than 4,000 New Zealand native plants and animals are at risk of extinction. Native trees can thrive for thousands of years without being replanted and by supporting native tree planting, Brother is taking an active role in the notions and practices of kaitiakitanga, helping to create habitats for our threatened wildlife and building ecosystems that are more resilient to threats and diseases, enabling our wildlife to prosper.
To find out more about Trees That Count, visit: www.treesthatcount.co.nz
1Mental Health Foundation, 2021
