Volunteers ready to plant 3000 native plants along the Pōrangahau Stream. Photo / Brendan Lane, HBRC
Volunteers ready to plant 3000 native plants along the Pōrangahau Stream. Photo / Brendan Lane, HBRC
By Holly Ormond, Tukituki Land Care
In a display of community spirit, 120 volunteers gathered in Takapau last week to plant 3000 native plants along both sides of the Pōrangahau Stream, while raising funds for Takapau School.
Takapau School parents and teachers, members of the Takapau community, local businesses, farmers and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) all got their hands dirty and volunteered their time to help get the plants in the ground.
“We were overwhelmed by the incredible turnout”, said Kahlia Fryer, catchment co-ordinator at Tukituki Land Care (TLC).
The project, led by the Watch Our Water Maharakeke and Pōrangahau Catchment Group (WOWMAP), was funded by a Tukituki Land Care Demonstration grant, with additional financial support from Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay, Silver Fern Farms and Centralines.
Beyond environmental conservation, the event aimed to raise awareness of the efforts of local farmers to improve the health of land and water and to instil a sense of environmental responsibility and pride within the community.
“It’s a testament to what we can achieve when we all come together,” said Matt Wade, Takapau dairy farmer and WOWMAP committee member.
Takapau School students checking the water quality of Pōrangahau Stream.
“This project was all about community, and we were committed to reinvesting the funds locally,” said Kahlia. Central Natives, a local nursery, supplied the plants and designed the planting plan, Floating Peaks provided the biodegradable wool mats and Takapau School took on the planting effort as a fundraiser.
Silver Fern Farms, which owns the planting site and contributed funds towards the project, was delighted to be involved and ensured the site was ready for planting. It also teamed up with the Takapau School PTA to provide a celebratory lunch for the team of planters.
A large variety of native plants and trees were carefully chosen for the site, including mānuka, tī (cabbage trees), flax, pittosporum, kānuka, carex secta (sedge), umbrella sedge, akeake and ribbonwood.
“We were thrilled to be involved with this project,” said Biddy Tully, principal of Takapau School, who attended the planting session. Fifteen Year 8 students also went along to help with the planting and to enjoy a session led by Enviroschools Te Matau ā Māui, where they learned about stream health and biodiversity.
Melissa Bloomfield from Enviroschools said: “Using SHMAK [Stream Health Monitoring and Assessment] kits provided by the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, we tested the clarity, pH, temperature and conductivity of the water and collected macroinvertebrates to study. We also took note of the rocks, and observed the awa environment including erosion, plants growing on the river banks and in the stream bed.
George Satherley and Hunter Roys-Smith from Takapau School helping out planting natives.
“The tamariki were very enthusiastic about the learning experience and had no worries about getting their feet wet in the freezing water. We were able to collect macroinvertebrates in our kick-nets to study. Students recorded the data under each measure on a data collection sheet and then added the scores up to rate the overall health of the awa.
“The health of the Pōrangahau Stream, we concluded, was very good.”
Biddy Tully said: “Our tamariki came back to school buzzing and talking about what they had learned.
“It is really neat that in years to come they will see the plants grow and remember how they were involved in the project.”
To commemorate the effort, a sign funded by Centralines will be erected at the site. Silver Fern Farms has also created a viewing platform where the sign will be displayed with information and photos from the planting day, serving as a lasting reminder of the community’s dedication and efforts.
