Winners of Greater Wellington's inaugural Environmental Awards

The winners of Greater Wellington’s inaugural Environmental Awards were announced today.

Peter Glensor, Deputy Chair of Greater Wellington said, “Congratulations to all our winners, they have all done outstanding work on their projects and they deserve recognition for their hard work and commitment to the environment. Greater Wellington is working towards a sustainable region and we can’t do it without the help of our community, schools and businesses.”

Nga Uruora – Kapiti Project won the Rata Community Partnership Award for their outstanding effort in restoring native forest on the spectacular stretch of land between Pukerua Bay and Paekakariki. They have planted over 30,000 native trees and plants on the coastal escarpment as well as carrying out intensive weed and animal pest control programmes.

Muritai School was a double winner, taking home both the Miro School Sustainable Project Award and the Kahikatea School Leadership Award. They have been running their waste management programme for three years now, which includes composting, worm farms, and recycling. Stephen Eames, the leader of the Enviroschools Focus Team and Year 7 & 8 teacher; won the Kahikatea School Leadership Award for supporting and facilitating environmental sustainability throughout the school as well as encouraging parent and community involvement in the school’s environmental projects.

The Wellington Inner City Bypass project team won the Nikau Compliance Award for a resource consent holder going above and beyond the conditions of their consent. The project team includes Transit New Zealand, Opus International Consultants, Fulton Hogan and Wellington City Council. The team won for their innovative measures taken to deal with groundwater and the treatment of stormwater. There was a range of complicated - and potentially significant - environmental issues associated with this project that were very well managed within the constraints of a very confined site.

For more information on the awards programme go to www.gw.govt.nz/environmentalawards