The Supreme Award at this year's Beautiful Awards, held last Thursday at Parliament House, went to the city of Whakatāne!

The Award, sponsored by Resene, was awarded from all the finalists, and Whakatāne will receive courtesy of Resene a mural painted in their town by a local artist up to the value of $10,000.

The judges were impressed by the community doing a huge amount of good with the resources they have available. Biodiversity is a huge focal point for those in Whakatāne, and so the community underwent a tree audit and created tree policies so that people have a better understanding of the value of trees and how their lifespan impacts us. They have also closed the gaps in understanding between rural areas and the township, bringing a tighter cohesion to environmental efforts.

The community have also created a Seed Library, and are getting local children and youth involved in plantings – around 4,800 per year. It's a unique way to engage with youth, to literally plant the seed of environmental awareness for generations to come.

Source: Keep New Zealand Beautiful