What's on: Lions urge wild walks

The Ngongotaha Lions Club is inviting people to take a walk on the wild side this weekend.

Since 2012 the club has spearheaded an environmental project to plant out a section of the TECT All Terrain Park, between Rotorua and Tauranga, and tomorrow, Lions Tree Grove is opening to the public.

In 2011 Lions International president Wing-Kum Tan challenged Lions clubs all around the world to plant over one million trees. The Ngongotaha Lions Club took up the challenge by approaching TECT Park management about planting an area of the park.

From that early idea, more than 6000 native species have been planted in a 2.4ha area that was once exotic pine forest.

Other Lions Clubs in the region got wind of the project and joined forces with Ngongotaha to help out.

Throughout the years three or four major plantings have taken place bringing together about 70 Lions club members from the Bay.

On top of this, every month about 12 "regulars" weeded, planted and created tracks through the grove.

"It has been a great bonding experience for the different Lions Clubs to come together for the project. We've networked and have had a lot of fun," said Lions Tree Grove secretary Phyl Hawkins.

Ngongotaha has won the Lions District 202L environmental award for the past two years for the project, but that is not the only benefit.

"Every time we come back from doing work in the grove, we come back raving because you see the growth of the trees, you see the new bird life, you see the insects and the bees that weren't there before," Mrs Hawkins said.

"Although Lions Clubs do much of their work helping people and communities in need, it's been absolutely fantastic to get the chance to do an environmental project. The aim is for future generations to enjoy the New Zealand fauna and flora with the wildlife it attracts."

Mrs Hawkins said the work wouldn't have been possible without the ponsorship from key organisations Rotorua Trust, First Sovereign, and Bay of Plenty Enhancement Fund. The regional Lions clubs that pitched in to help Ngongotaha were Sulphur City Lions, Tauranga Sunrise, Greerton, Papamoa and Matamata. Opotiki Lions got busy in their man-shed making bench seats for the grove.

Members of the public wanting to walk through Lions Tree Grove are invited to meet at the grassed area of the grove, by Adrenalin Forest on Te Ara O Raha Rd at the end of Weld Rd.