Springfield School Kids Discovery Plantout Day

Ākonga (students) were excited to continue their native reforestation efforts at their kura (school).

All 44 ākonga from the kura participated in the day, with each older student partnering with a younger student to plant 350 native seedlings, replacing an old pine shelter belt on school grounds.

In addition, the school was preparing for an ‘Olympic Games,’ so we hosted a session exploring flags from different cultures.

Ākonga discovered how various native plants could represent Aotearoa and were given a korari stick (flax flower stem) to use as a flagpole. They collected native plants, tied them to the korari, and displayed the flagpoles at the school entrance.

During the day, we also hunted for invertebrates and conducted a bird count. We’re excited to see how this native planting will positively impact the school and create new habitats for wildlife.

Central Plains Water funded the planting day, including planning and delivery, and contributed towards plants and guards.

Te Ara Kākāriki would like to thank Central Plains Water for supporting the trust in engaging with landowners and the community to plant native greendots, linking the Canterbury Foothills to Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere and the sea.

Report by: Letitia Lum, Te Ara Kākāriki Greenway Canterbury Trust Coordinator