Initiatives

The Nelson College Environmental Committee currently has two active initiatives that continue to be maintained and improved. We are always looking to improve existing initiatives or create new ones. If you or someone you know have ideas, do not hesitate to reach out, and we will try to make changes or implement new initiatives if we agree they are necessary.
Find out more about how to contact us here.

Tree Planting

The tree planting initiative was started in 2015, with an aim to increase the biodiversity of Nelson College and the surrounding Grampians. It involves the planting of native flora on the bank of the top field, and the bank located near the old nursery of the Committee. This initiative has seen much success in recent years, with many new members joining to help contribute to our biodiversity efforts. In 2023, our members collaborated with the Nelson College for Girls Environmental Committee, which resulted in a significant increase in planted trees. The top field bank now has an estimated 200-300 trees planted, while the old nursery bank has 25-75.

This initiative is necessary to reduce the footprint of Nelson College and its students. It allows for collaboration between Nelson College and other schools, and gets the students involved in a meaningful initiative that will bring positive change for the future. Unfortunately, with the sale of the Nelson College Outdoor Education block, the Nelson College Environmental Committee has lost its plant nursery. Although this is a significant setback to the initiative's progress, we will continue to maintain the already planted trees while researching the possibility of a new nursery location. In 2024, there will be a large reduction in tree planting, but if funding is acquired, we should be able to plant some more trees before the end of the year.

Recycling

The recycling initiative was created at the end of 2023. Its aim is to improve the awareness of Nelson College students regarding what can and cannot be recycled. This initiative is also needed to create the infrastructure necessary for a long-lasting recycling program.

The bins were provided by Paper4Trees, an organisation that gives trees to participating schools when they recycle. Combining these bins with posters created by the Committee means that recycling is now more easily understood by Nelson College students and will allow for more steadfast infrastructure to be present at the school. This initiative will allow the Committee to gain more trees to plant, which will contribute to the tree planting initiative. It will also increase the amount of recycling we do, which will subsequently reduce the amount of waste we contribute to landfill.

Upcoming Initiatives

The Nelson College Environmental Committee is working on two new initiatives, which will be rolled out in 2024.

• The first is a pest control initiative. A pest control initiative has been previously run by the Committee but has been inactive over the past 2 years. This initiative is being reintroduced to reduce the number of small pests, such as rats and mice, and to investigate the small animals surrounding the college. The initiative will utilise our existing Victor rat traps and ink tunnels. These traps are successfully used by the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary and Birdlife on Grampians organisations.
• The second is a composting initiative. This initiative is being introduced to allow the school to reduce the amount of organic waste being sent to landfill, and instead divert it to be used in a sustainable practice. The compost produced from this initiative will then be used with our tree planting initiative to allow the trees to gain fresh soil, which will promote the growth and survival of the trees. This initiative will start in collaboration with the Nelson College food technology classes. Once the initiative has gained traction and has been refined for maximum efficiency, the Committee will investigate the possibility of compost collection throughout the school.