Rangitikei school kids muck in for planting session

South Makirikiri pupils George Cunliffe and Hunter Taylor plant along the Koitiata Stream on Wednesday.

Rangitikei schoolchildren spent Wednesday afternoon learning about planting and stream health as part of a Horizons Regional Council freshwater initiative.

Pupils from Bulls School and South Makirikiri School - two of the region's Enviroschools - were involved and council freshwater co-ordinator Clare Ridler said it was an opportunity to educate the children about freshwater ecology.

Bulls School is in its second year of being a fully fledged Enviroschool and its pupils helped plant 400 trees and flaxes off Parewanui Rd, near a stream which is a tributary to the Rangitikei River.

Teacher Leigh Hanson said the field trip was attended by the school's Green Committee - a group of 15 pupils selected on application.

"When they walked in this morning they were all excited," she said.

"We like to help out in the community. We've done quite a bit of river clean-up."

Bulls School pupils were working a little bit further down the coast near Parewanui Rd.

Meanwhile, South Makirikiri School Year 3 and 4 pupils spent the afternoon planting on Regents Park Farm along the Koitiata Stream which contains native fish and eels.

Principal Stu Devenport said the group's inquiry learning this year had focused on ecology and habitat so the field work tied in well.

"This is kind of part of that as well. Hopefully today we can look at the ecology of the stream.

"One of our goals for this year is about connecting with the community a little bit more and providing our services to the local community.

"We're reasonably isolated so it's nice for out kids to connect to the local community."

South Makirikiri pupils have already done planting at Koitiata Beach this year.