Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council
Spearheaded by the Waimate High School Enviro-Group, the project will see a shade house built at the school and approximately 2000 trees planted.
At recent Lower Waitaki South Coastal Canterbury Water Zone Committee meetings, the group was successful in having two funding requests approved.
Group facilitator and Head of Science Aaron Harbour says the Enviro-Group had attracted approximately 20 students, each showing a keen interest to learn about seed propagation.
The group will predominantly grow native trees and grasses, with the shade house helping to accelerate the growth of kowhai trees in the coming months.
Some members of the Waimate High School Enviro-Group on their latest field trip
“The students wanted a space of their own to put their environmental ideas into reality, and the shade house achieves this,” Aaron said.
“Having the shade house on school grounds is great for the students and it also gives us the opportunity to bring the community in at various times to get involved. We also hope that in the future this space will serve as a living classroom where students can learn about native plants, sustainable gardening practices, and the importance of biodiversity and ecological communities.”
Sowing seeds for the future
The group hopes the planting initiative will help establish a legacy project as part of the school’s revolutionary Ag Hub initiative – encouraging students to plant a tree when they first arrive in year 7 and again, when they leave.
The project aligns with the committee’s goal of engaging with young people and supporting educational projects that raise awareness of environmental issues in the zone.
The first batch of trees (500) have already been planted, with the next round of planting scheduled later this month. Other plant species to be introduced include tarata (lemonwood), kōhūhū (black matipo), kanuka (kunzea robusta), among others.
Propagation will officially get underway in term one, next year.
The Waimate High School Enviro-Group have already planted 500 trees on their riparian corridor
Environment Canterbury © 2024
Retrieved: 12:04pm, Mon 04 Nov 2024
ecan.govt.nz/get-involved/news-and-events/zone-news/lower-waitaki/waimate-high-schools-enviro-group-initiative-takes-root/
