A planting programme in the Tararua District is not only helping improve water quality and biodiversity, it’s also helping to provide schoolchildren with some real hands-on education on our wetlands.
Sarah Falloon, freshwater adviser for the Tararua catchment at Horizons Regional Council, says the planting is part of the Jobs for Nature funding, which funds 50 per cent of the project.
Information from Horizons notes that protecting our water resource is important for dairying and also benefits the community, who use water for drinking and other activities.
“Riparian zones can be used to maintain and improve water quality. Protecting our valuable water resource is important for dairying in New Zealand. It also benefits the community that uses water for drinking and economic, recreational, aesthetic, ecological and cultural activities. Riparian zones can be used to maintain and improve water quality. Once fenced and planted, they filter nutrients, sediment and bacteria that leave the land as runoff.”
Children from St Anthony’s school in Pahiatua were able to help with the programme, in which 1000 native species were planned to be planted at a dairy farm owned by Michael and Jason Treder.
