Restoring the mauri with future kaitiaki

One of our strengths is kotahitanga – unity – and this was on display recently as Canvastown School and Queen Charlotte College students joined together to plant along the banks of Te Hoiere awa.

Thirty children from Canvastown School and twenty-two from Queen Charlotte College planted around 400 mixed natives suitable for riparian planting, Te Hoiere Centre Manager and Te Hoiere Project Education Services Co-ordinator Sarah Huntley said.

Organised by Te Hoiere Project, the planting day was embraced by Canvastown School who have been working closely with Sarah to develop a plan to restore the mauri of the area. “Now this is a spot for them all to visit and enjoy,” she said.

Ngāti Kuia gifted labour for the day with the Ngā Toki Kaiahuone restoration crew helping clear and prepare the site as well as carefully selecting the native plants and working alongside the students to put them in the ground.

Sarah said she was impressed with the Queen Charlotte College (QCC) students who assumed the mantle of kaitiaki on the day. “They really took a leadership role – they were guardians with the little kids. They were very patient - it was so cool to watch how good they were as leaders,” she said, adding it was a relationship that both schools wanted to be ongoing.

She also said a big shout out was needed for Meaters of Marlborough who donated 100 sausages to feed the hungry workers once the mahi was done.

Pictured below, many hands do the mahi on the banks of Te Hoiere at a recent Canvastown School and Queen Charlotte College combined planting day