Matariki planting at the awa

In week 9 of Term 2, the week of the rising of Matariki, the kura continued the our annual native planting programme next to our awa Waititiko.  This has been an annual kaitiaki activity since 2013, with the support of the Auckland City Council, to help  improve water quality in our awa and promote a healthy habitat for native fish, insects and birds. 

This year,  we were joined by Urban Ark (who work on native biodiversity) and the Auckland City Council, Healthy Waters and Trees for survival facilitator. The Year 10 Waiōrea students, Wastewise and the Kaitiaki group began with a concerted weeding of invasive noxious plants in our planting area two weeks before the planting. On planting day, we were blessed with great weather. The Waiōrea Year 9 and Year 10 classes, as part of our Matariki celebration programme, were all able to plant the 700 plants right through the day and this was completed by the Kaitiaki and Wastewise groups after school.  We also have plans to develop an outdoor classroom in a natural amphitheatre area close to the awa for next year.