A large contingent of volunteers turned up to Kopuarahi School on May 7 to assist with the planting of seedlings along the edge of the field. Among the 50 helpers were friends and parents of the school, a team of environmental education students from Hauraki Plains College, a rangatahi work experience group led by Hauraki District Council’s gr8 Job job-ready work programme, and several local community members with no connection to the school. Many answered the school’s call for assistance to plant around 900 seedlings in a previous story by The Profile.
Tim Cruickshank from Trees For Survival was on hand to guide the process.
The team spent the morning drilling and digging holes in the soil and mulch, before recruiting the students to bed in the plants.
Principal Chris Patel said she was “humbled” by the overwhelmingly positive response from the community.
“I think it’s just awesome,” she said.
“It’s showing our kids the way forward – it’s great for our kids and the environment.”
The school also received assistance and loans of equipment from Thames High School and Scotty’s Bobcats Service. The seedlings were planted along the perimeter of the 1.62 hectare boundary of the property, with space marked out for an eventual nature trail and bike track.
Tim said they were now looking for landowners along Bush Rd who would be interested in forming a close association with the school, to provide land for future plantings to assist with the “bringing the bush back to Bush Rd” restoration project.
