Industry Planting Day 2026: 3,000 Natives at Jardine Park
🌿 Giving back to Queenstown
"In June this patch of Kelvin Heights was covered in wilding pines, and today it is home to 3,000 native plants. We are proud to say our team helped put some of them in the ground." Love Queenstown
On 22 October, five of the Watersports crew swapped the office and life jackets for shovels and gloves to join more than 150 volunteers from Queenstown's tourism and business community at this year's Industry Planting Day at Jardine Park. It was our second year taking part, after getting stuck in for the first time last year, and it was just as rewarding the second time around.
From wilding pines to native bush
Wilding pines spread quickly across the Wakatipu Basin, crowding out native plants and changing the landscape we all love. Clearing them and replanting with natives gives the land a chance to return to what it should be, and helps bring back the birds and insects that rely on it.
This year's planting adds to a much bigger effort. Including this year's plants, more than 7,000 natives have now been planted at Jardine Park over the last three years, thanks to the partners who organise the day and the many local businesses who turn up to help.
Why we keep coming back
Everything we do happens on and around Lake Wakatipu, so looking after the place that makes our work possible matters to us. A day like this is also a great chance to work alongside other local businesses, meet people from across the community and see a real difference made in just a few hours.
The day started with tea, coffee and some very good muffins on arrival, and once the last plant went in, everyone gathered for a BBQ lunch and a chance to catch up, which made a long morning of digging feel well worth it.
Thank you
A huge thank you to Love Queenstown, the Wakatipu Reforestation Trust, Skyline Queenstown and the Queenstown Lakes District Council for making the day happen, and to every volunteer who brought their gloves and good energy. We are already looking forward to seeing how Jardine Park grows, and to being back again next year.
You can read more about how we look after the lake on our Sustainability page.