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A wetland area at Metro Park East has benefited from the efforts of around 200 volunteer planters, who dug in a total of 1900 native plants there recently.
The event, which was part of Mayor Phil Goff’s Million Trees project, was so popular that numbers of volunteers were turned away when they tried to register online, with numbers capped at 200.
The Matariki Planting took place at the park, in Millwater, on June 17.
The planters included more than 50 members of the Remuera Chinese Association, who would have won the ‘best dressed’ award hands down, had such a thing been on offer. They got stuck into the planting with great enthusiasm, took lots of photos and showed interest in the native plants.
Orewa Sea Scouts were the largest local contingent at around 50 scouts, parents and leaders. Local board representatives Julia Parfitt and Janet Fitzgerald also leant a hand.
Weeds such as privet had been removed by Auckland Council prior to the planting and it is hoped that natives, such as flax and manuka, will improve water quality as well as provide habitat for wildlife.
A large number of the seedlings were grown at Paremoremo prison.
There are still opportunities to take part in local community plantings this season.
Community plantings at Shakespear Open Sanctuary at the end of Whangaparaoa Peninsula are coming up on July 15 and 22, after a very successful first event there on June 17. Public plantings at the open sanctuary run from 10am to 1pm, followed by a free barbecue. Signs at the park entrance will direct people to the planting sites. Info: www.sossi.org.nz
