Living Legends needs a hand

http://www.ashburtonguardian.co.nz/news/todays-news/8202-living-legends-needs-a-hand.html 

Green fingered people are being called upon to lend a hand planting 2100 native trees and shrubs at an Ashburton reserve this Sunday. 
Living Legends – a community conservation project first established last year to celebrate and leave a legacy of New Zealand's hosting of the Rugby World Cup – is back for round two at the Harris Scientific Reserve.
Each planting project across New Zealand was dedicated to a rugby legend from the region. Mid Canterbury's former All Black Jock Ross was named as Mid Canterbury's Living Legend and while he's unavailable to attend on Sunday, he's hoping Mid Cantabrians will get behind the project.
Ross isn't available but Canterbury rugby legend Tane Norton is, and he'll be there lending a hand along with Ashburton Mayor Angus McKay. They will be and planting alongside what they hope will be a heap of volunteers.
A staggering 85,000 native trees were planted as part of Living Legends last year and now it's returning to the same 17 regions to plant a further 45,000 native trees and shrubs – 2100 of those in the Ashburton reserve.
Devon McLean, project manager of Living Legends, said the project would contribute hugely to conservation in New Zealand.
"By the end of the Living Legends project in 2015 we will have planted 170,000 native trees," he said.
Registrations for the Ashburton event close at midnight tomorrow.
The Harris Scientific Reserve protects one of the last stands of dry-land kanuka in Canterbury. The 2.5ha paddock and its surrounding natural and undisturbed dry-land kanuka stand was purchased by the Ashburton District Council along with an adjoining 8ha paddock to the east. Forest and Bird was granted a 'licence to occupy' by the council on condition a trust was set up to manage the site.
The total area of 10.5ha is now managed by the Ashburton Community Conservation Trust and the trust has already planted the 2.5ha area within the natural kanuka border.
Anyone can take part but people need to register their interest at www.livinglegends.co.nz.

Pictured: Mid Canterbury's Living Legend Jock Ross is doing his bit for conservation and he's calling on the rest of Mid Canterbury to get their hands dirty too, at Sunday's Living Legend planting day.

Photo Kirsty Graham