Planting to protect people, places and the environment

Volunteers are needed at a community planting day that will be held upstream from Matakana Village later this month.

Organised by Friends of Awa Matakanakana (FOAM), the riparian project will help restore a vulnerable stretch of the Matakana River.

The landowner has fenced off the river to prevent livestock access – an important step toward improving water quality and protecting biodiversity – but the next step will depend on “people power”.

FOAM chair John Collins says the aim is to plant three thousand native plants along the riverside.

“We know the banks of Matakana River are vulnerable to erosion and this increases the amount of sediment that flows into Sandspit estuary and Kawau Bay,” Collins says.

“Riparian planting helps protect riverbanks and, during times of heavy rainfall, the plants slow the flow of water – keeping more floodwater on retired farmland and protecting people and property downstream.”

The family-friendly event at 2 Ward Road Matakana will be held on Sunday May 24, from 9am to 12.30pm. Participants are encouraged to bring sturdy footwear, gloves, spades and weather-appropriate clothing, with FOAM promising to proceed rain or shine.

Children are welcome, and a sausage sizzle, including vegan options, will be provided once the work is done.

Registering in advance will help ensure there is enough food for everyone and allow timely updates about the event.

https://events.humanitix.com/native-planting-to-protect-matakana-river-banks