Gearing up to start planting

PLANTING DAY: South End Montessori School students with principal Alastair Kay and Carterton District councillor Jill Greathead at a Connolly's Line site during the bedding down of 100 native trees, part of the Mangatarere Restoration Society Community Action Plan. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

The Mangatarere Restoration Society will start bedding down hundreds of donated trees at the Belvedere Bridge Reserve in Carterton tomorrow.

The first planting day at the reserve tomorrow comes ahead of a planned walkway and a cycle path that also will be laid out at the site.

Planting is under way as well at Connolly's Line, where students from the South End Montessori School along with South End School principal Alastair Kay bedded down more than 100 native plants along the riverbank.

The projects at the Belvedere Bridge Reserve and Connolly's Line are two of several key tasks prioritised in the newly-devised Mangatarere Restoration Society Community Action Plan that spans the coming three years.

Project co-ordinator Esther Dijkstra said the society, which is a stream care group working to enhance water quality of the Mangatarere Stream, which is the main tributary of the Waiohine River, was growing in size and reputation.

The society today consists of a management team of 220, with members from Federated Farmers, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Carterton District Council, Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Forest and Bird, Sustainable Wairarapa and community representatives.

"It is exciting times for our group. Our work is making an impact locally and nationally.

"We're being recognised throughout New Zealand as a successful river care group and a good working model for other organisations like ours.

"As such, we've put a professional framework around our activities.

"We've identified our mission and our objectives and have set out our 'to do' list up until 2017."

The society has also published a booklet, Re-clothing our Stream, which contains information about the group as well as tips on reducing water usage, recycling rainwater and watching what goes down the sinks and drains.

The booklet is available at the Carterton District Council Office and the Carterton Information Centre in Holloway Street in the town.

For more information about the society go to: www.mangatarere.org.nz or contact the project co-ordinator at mangatarere.restoration@gmail.com.