- TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU - A La Une - 16/Jul 00:20

Auckland Council funding native tree planting

Auckland Council has launched a new sustainable finance initiative, a sustainability-linked bond (SLB), with a clear purpose: to deliver real, long-term benefits to the Auckland region through accelerated native ngahere (forest) restoration in regional parks. Source: Timberbiz While the council has a well-established sustainable finance programme in place, this SLB is a new milestone with its focus firmly on people, place and planet. The bond links funding to the planting of one million native trees by the end of 2027, helping to grow a greener, healthier Tāmaki Makaurau for generations to come. However, what makes this bond particularly unique is its combined accountability and sustainability drive. If the council does not meet its planting target, it will make a donation to organisations supporting the restoration of native ngahere across the region. Unlike other SLB structures which often involve additional payments to investors for missed targets, the donation means whether the council meets the planting target or not, Aucklanders win. Auckland Council’s Manager Group Sustainable Finance Sophie Baillie says this innovative bond structure, which incorporates a donation, reflects Auckland’s leadership in the sustainable finance space while directly benefiting communities. “This bond enables us to align our funding with ambitious environmental outcomes.” “Its structure keeps us accountable and ensures the objective of ngahere restoration to support local biodiversity and climate resilience moves forward no matter what.” The one-million-tree planting target is part of the council’s ‘200 Hectare Programme’ – its 2021 Long-term Plan initiative to plant 200 hectares of new ngahere on park land. In doing so, it is transforming areas of marginal farmland into thriving native forests across the regional park network, while protecting sites of cultural significance. These ngahere offer more than just beauty: they provide habitat for native wildlife, improve air and water quality, support carbon sequestration, reduce flood risk and create meaningful green spaces for Aucklanders to enjoy. Auckland Council’s Ngahere Programme Manager Howell Davies, who co-authored the council’s 2019 Urban Ngahere Strategy, says the environmental and social impact of this work is immense. “Increasing our native ngahere across the Auckland region strengthens the natural fabric of our city. It is a key climate adaptation action, which improves the region’s resilience, enhances biodiversity and connects people to nature,” says Mr Davies. “Planting these trees now means Aucklanders, especially our tamariki, can grow up with cleaner air, cooler neighbourhoods and stronger connections to our land and cultural heritage.” Auckland Council‘s Ngahere Program Specialist Steve Burgess, who is coordinating the planting program, explains the tree seedlings and planting sites are carefully selected in consultation with mana whenua, ecologists, and parks specialists to ensure “the right tree is planted in the right place”. Locations span across Auckland’s regional parks, in areas that will benefit hugely from this ecological restoration. The initiative also supports the wider Auckland Climate Plan and the Auckland Plan 2050 goals of increasing canopy cover to help create a low-carbon, resilient city that values its natural taonga. This is not Auckland Council’s first foray into sustainable finance. Since 2018, the council has issued over NZ$3.7 billion in green bonds and has been a national leader in linking finance to environmental and social outcomes. “Our sustainable finance programme is a powerful tool for positive change,” says John Bishop, Group Treasurer at Auckland Council. “It helps us to deliver core services and infrastructure in a way that reflects our responsibility to future generations.” This latest bond is more than a financial transaction, it’s an investment in a thriving, resilient, and connected Auckland. Every tree planted will bring us closer to a future where nature and community thrive together.