Thousands pull on gumboots for a day to plant a forest

Waikato volunteers were out in force to plant 30,000 trees in three hours to help restore Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park.Wintery winds and the chance of rain did not keep children from 30 local schools getting down and dirty, planting trees as part of yesterday’s Arbor Day Challenge.

“If it rains we just keep on planting,” said 6-year-old Ashley Vincent, who along with her twin sister Petrice planned to plant at least 10 trees each.

The twins are in Year two at nearby Rotokauri School, which had 150 pupils mucking in, all while learning about native trees and insects.

“We need worms to help the trees grow,” said Petrice, as she held up her third worm of the day.

“Then, when the trees grow they give us shade and air for us to breathe.”

Yesterdays Big Dig In was part of New Zealand’s largest inland restoration project which will see the farmland around Lake Waiwhakareke revert back to native forest last seen 200 years ago.

Wiremu Puke of Ngati Wairere, the Hapu of the area, researched the history of the land so they could replicate the original fauna which many years ago were home to native birds such as kiwi and weka.

Planting began in 2004 and so far around 12 hectares have been planted with native trees including Kauri, Totara and Kanuka.

More than 2000 volunteers were part of the event linked to Arbor Day and World Environment Day which this year both fell on June 5.

In amongst the school children were representatives from local businesses, out in their gumboots getting to work.

No strangers to hard yakka, the 13 volunteers from Roadworkers New Zealand were a well-oiled machine, not only planting trees themselves but digging holes so the younger children could keep planting.

“We’ll do the tough stuff and let the kids enjoy it,” said roadworker Wayne Rouse.

Fifty Fonterra staff were there wielding spades as part of their Catchment Care programme which, in conjunction with conservation volunteers, takes on projects aimed at protecting the natural environment especially waterways and wetlands.

The park restoration is primarily run by the Hamilton City Council but is a community effort including help from Waikato University’s Ecology Department.

Professor Bruce Clarkson, Dean of Science and Engineering, has students helping monitor the progress of the trees and sees this as an amazing opportunity to revive our cultural and ecological landscapes.

“This is all about bringing native plants and animals back into the cities, right into our backyard,” he said.