Save Campbells Bay School’s Trees

Campbells Bay School’s historic pohutukawa trees, which grow along the school’s Aberdeen Road boundary, are scheduled for death by chainsaw in early 2021.

The Ministry of Education plans to fell the trees to build a new classroom block – to accommodate the school’s burgeoning student roll.

We take them for granted - these benign and watchful giants. They have always been there, shading generations of children, providing stout limbs for climbing, places to play, lessons in botany and ecology and nesting and perching spots for multitudes of birds.

The pohutukawa define the character of the school. Their scarlet blossoms are the school’s emblem. They frame the views of the Hauraki Gulf and offshore islands, which Campbells Bay and its much-admired school are famous for.

The trees are almost as old as CBS – which will turn 100 in 2025. It is shameful and distressing to think they will not be there to bow their huge old branches in welcome to staff, students and their families arriving for the 100th birthday powhiri.

How will we feel as we watch them being cut down – if we have done nothing to try and save them?

Let’s persuade the Ministry to design a building which preserves these iconic trees and which reflects the environmental and cultural values our children learn at school.

Let’s save the trees! Sign up, take action now and make it happen!