Living Legends

Living Legends is taking the field to the forest during New Zealand’s hosting of Rugby World Cup 2011.

During September and October 2011 we’ll be planting almost 85,000 native trees and honouring our Rugby Legends.


The Ahuriri Estuary is a unique and valuable habitat that resulted from landform changes associated with the 1931 Napier earthquake. This important wetland is a sanctuary for a wide variety of wading birds including grey herons, royal spoonbills and pied stilts and offers a significant opportunity for revegetation and ecosystem enhancement. Its closeness to Napier city provides great potential for community use and involvement in its development. The work already undertaken east of where Living Legends will plant provides a popular walking area and shows the value of native plantings in enhancing this environment.

On 24 September 2011, volunteers will plant 4000 additional native trees at this site as part of Living Legends programme of work.

Some of those volunteers are from our school Eco Kids Club.
Porritt students - if you want to be involved, see Mrs. Anderson at school.
You can also visit the Living Legends website to find out more.

Rugby Legend - Ian MacRae
The man who spent seven years as an All Blacks centre has been chosen as the Hawke’s Bay rugby legend as part of the Living Legends project.

Napier’s Ian MacRae, 64, who played 45 matches for the All Blacks between 1963 and 1970, said the appointment was flattering and close to his heart.

“I am excited to be part of it as I started my working career as a forest ranger. I trained in conservation in the back country, trying to prevent erosion, so it’s quite fitting that now I am involved in this,” says Ian.