School Programme

Trees for Survival Schools

Since 1991, we’ve been partnering with schools, landowners and partners to support environmental education in Aotearoa with our school based programme.

Every student who participates in the Trees for Survival's environmental education school programme learns how to grow native plant species from seedlings, care for these and take part in a planting day alongside landowners, partners, teachers and their peers to plant the trees they nurtured!

Trees for Survival's environmental education school programme teaches students how they can be activity involved in the restoration of their environment.

To support the natural ecology in New Zealand, we only plant NZ native plants across our Trees for Survival school programme.

Together, with the generosity of our amazing partners and donors, our school programme has successfully planted more than 2 million native plants across Aotearoa New Zealand, with more schools joining the programme every year!

2M+

Total native plants planted

164,000

Total native plants planted in 2024

213

Schools involved in 2024

7,200

Students involved in 2024

16km

Waterways planted in 2024

Teacher information

Trees for Survival Charitable Trust is an environmental education programme that works with schools and communities to grow, nurture and plant native trees. Schools in the programme are each set up with a custom-built, irrigated shade house and each year potting mix and approximately 900 native plant seedlings are supplied.

The programme operates on a one-year cycle starting with the arrival of eco sourced seedlings which the school pots up (transfers into bags), nurtures and then plants the following autumn. Our local area Facilitators work with schools to help guide them through the seasonal activities, help identify suitable planting sites and monitoring plant growth.

The students are engaged in learning around ecology, horticulture and environmental restoration with many opportunities for curriculum-based learning.

Teacher Resource

Hands on Education

We provide the opportunity to align Trees for Survival activities with a range of learning opportunities for all ages.

We are excited to be working on a curriculum linked teaching guide and video for teachers use to support their Trees for Survival activities!
We will be releasing the first stage of this guide in 2024.

Currently the Trees for Survival programme can be aligned with the following NCEA units:

Level 3 Unit+22175v2, 27208v2, 27210v2, 29829v1
Level 2 Unit+31656, 21556, 2765, 9681, US2803,29493, 29669.

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Matthew Turner

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Sarah Evans

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“I loved being out in nature with all my friends while helping out my community. I had an amazing time and I think we achieved lots despite the bad weather. It absolutely poured with rain but I still loved every minute of it even if it was the muddiest I’ve ever been. Definitely coming back next year."

Kaley

“I especially liked all the new knowledge, given to our class from the people helping us. I also liked, the beautiful walk our class went on because we got to appreciate truely how beautiful New Zealand is. Also, I enjoyed the walk, as we saw beautiful views and sights, like the Kauri Trees and river."

William

"I learned about how to plant a tree, and when you work as a team you can get lots of things done in a short amount of time."

Iris

“We learned so much and I love helping the environment!

Ellie

“It was pretty cool to learn more about trees and why we can’t pollute our oceans"

Rheaan

"I learned about the value of working together, looking after the whenua and working with our local people."

Lysandra

“I would give it a 5 out of 5 or 10 out of 10. I learnt that it is good to plant around water because it is works like a dam made by nature when there is a flood. I also learnt that we need to do a little tug on the seedlings (a pukeko test) to be sure they don't nibble the seedlings out of the ground. I appreciated that I got to go two years in a row and now I love nature, life, insects and kiwis."

Bella

“The Trees for Survival is the most wonderful trip I ever had! Thank you for teaching us about trees. I had a very peaceful and exciting day at the farm I learned that some trees can live by themselves - they need special friends to survive. I really enjoyed planting and helping kiwis find new homes."

Alex

"I learned that we need trees to live and survive. We also need trees for shade and protection. We also learned that pukekos are territorial and we need to check the trees after we planted them so pukekos can't break or damage the plants. I did not like the poo, but I loved that we were helping animals and nature."

Imaya

What’s involved in the Trees for Survival Programme?

Trees for Survival schools are provided with educational resources to bring the Trees for Survival classroom to life.

Every Trees for Survival school receives:

2 x purpose built shade houses measuring 3.0m x 1.5m which will be delivered to and set up at your school
Irrigation system (watering) and a timer
Crates and planting bags
Approx 900 native plant seedlings each year

Your school will need to help identify a suitable well lit, level area for the shade house to be located and provide a dedicated tap for the irrigation.

It is useful to have the shade house located where it is easy to access on all sides.

Your Facilitator will teach you how to set and adjust your timer.

Fill in your expression of interest!

Custom built shade house with irrigation

Otaua School has been working in partnership with TFSNZ for approximately 5 years. We absolutely love this learning opportunity. We are a little country school but only 5 minutes from our local town so we have quite a diverse range of students. Many are on local farms and have a strong connection with the whenua, but equally as many live in town and have limited experience planting and growing.

The children take pride in seeing the plants growing in our planting bay and throw themselves wholeheartedly into planting day. In fact, this day is a highlight of the school year for many! Thank you TFSNZ for this opportunity.”

– Otaua School

Trees for Survival school locations

Trees for Survival is located across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Please zoom in/out and click on the icons below to find see what schools are involved in our programme.

Te Tai Tokerau - Northland

Hikurangi School
Kaiwaka School
Kamo Intermediate School
Maunu School
Portland School Whangarei

Tāmaki-makau-rau - Auckland

ACG Strathallan Ahuroa School Aka Aka School Albany Primary School Alfriston Primary Aorere College Ararimu School Ardmore School Auckland Girls' Grammar School Avondale College Avondale Intermediate Awhitu District School Bairds Mainfreight Primary School Bayfield School Beachlands School Botany Downs Secondary College Bucklands Beach Intermediate Bucklands Beach Primary School Christ the King Catholic School Churchill Park School Clevedon School Dairy Flat School Dilworth Junior School Ellerslie School Freemans Bay School Glenbrook School Hobsonville School Horizon School Howick College Howick Primary School Huapai District School Hunua School James Cook High School Kaipara College Kaukapakapa School Kelston Girls' College	Kings School Kristin School Macleans College Mahurangi College Maraetai Beach School Marina View School Mauku School Meadowbank Primary Mellons Bay School Michael Park School Milford School Mission Heights Junior College Mount Eden Normal Primary School Mt Richmond School Murrays Bay School Northcote College One Tree Hill College Orewa College Otahuhu Intermediate Owairoa School Pakiri School Pakuranga College Pakuranga Intermediate Panama Road School Papakura Normal School Paparimu School Papatoetoe High School Papatoetoe Intermediate School Parakai School Pasadena Intermediate school Patumahoe Primary School Pinehill School Pinehurst School Point Chevalier Air Scout Group Point View School Ponsonby Primary Pt Chevalier School Pukekohe North School Puni School	Ramarama School Remuera Intermediate School Rosehill Intermediate Royal Oak Primary School Sancta Maria College Sandspit Road School Silverdale School Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Snells Beach School St Cuthbert's College (Epsom) St Kentigern Boys School St Kentigern College St Mark's Catholic School (Pakuranga) St Mary's Catholic School Ellerslie St Peter's College Stanhope Road School Stonefields School Sunny Hills School Takanini School Takapuna Normal Intermediate School Tamaki Primary School Tapora School Tauhoa School Taupaki School Te Atatu Intermediate The Gardens School Tomarata School Verran Primary School View Road School Waiau Pa School Waikowhai Intermediate Waiuku College Waiuku Primary School Wellsford School Wentworth College Whenuapai School

Waikato

Cambridge East School Cambridge High School Coroglen School Coromandel Area School Fairfield College Goldfields School Hauraki Plains College Hikuai School Horahora School, Cambridge Horotiu School Kaihere School Kaitao Intermediate School, Rotorua Karangahake School Kerepehi School Kopuarahi School Manawaru School Mangatangi School Maramarua School Melville Primary School	Mercury Bay Area School Moanataiari School Motumaoho School Netherton School Ngaruawahia High School Ngutunui School Leamington School Ohinewai School Opoutere School Otaua School Otewa School Parawai School Paterangi School Pirongia Primary School Pokuru School Pukeatua School Pukekawa School Pukeoware School Pukete School	Puriri School Rototuna Junior High School St Francis School Thames St Josephs Hamilton St Patrick's Catholic School Te Awamutu St Patrick's School Taupo St Peter's School Cambridge Tatuanui School Te Awamutu Primary School Te Kohanga Te Paina School Te Rerenga School Te Wharekura o Maniapoto Thames South School Tuakau College Vardon Primary School Waikato Montessori School Wharepapa South School Whenuakite School

Te Moana-a-Toi - Bay of Plenty

Awakeri School Bethlehem College James Street School Kaitao Intermediate Katikati College Lynmore Primary School Maungatapu School Mt Maunganui College Omanu School Otamarakau School Otonga School	Otumoetai College Papamoa College Papamoa Primary School Rangiuru School Rotokawa School Rotorua Primary School St Joseph’s Catholic School Opotiki St Mary's Catholic School Tauranga Tauranga Girls' College Tauranga Intermediate Tauranga Waldorf School	Te Pou Oranga O Whakatohea Te Puna School Te Rangihakahaka Centre for Science and Technology Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o te Orini ki Ngāti Awa Trident High School Waihi Beach School Waiotahe Westbrook School Whakatāne High School Whakatane Intermediate