Rangatahi in South Canterbury are finding a connection to their marae through conservation.
Arowhenua Marae in Temuka has established a native plant nursery to use in the restoration of the Rangitata River, which has been degraded by the intensification of dairy farming in the catchment.
Nursery manager Lex Evans says it now employs about 30 people to grow the plants and plant them out, with a large training component so people can go on to careers in the taiao.
“I don’t know how many people were marking on the fact they never thought they would have the opportunity to work for their marae. So I think out of this whole jobs for nature process, that is one of the best things, one of the best outcomes.” he says.
The Jobs for Nature project has another year to run, so the marae is looking at other ways to make the nursery commercially viable.
