Hands-on project counts on pupils

Photo: NEIL DUDDY

ONE FOR THE STREAM: WeedFree Trust’s Neil Henderson is encouraged to see students, from left: Ta’a Nooroa, 10, from Fairburn Primary; Abbiel Fisiihoi, 7, from St Josephs School; and Wiremu Taku, 12, from Otahuhu Intermediate “owning” the restoration of Tamaki Stream.

Pupils from three Otahuhu schools descended on the Tamaki Stream last week to continue their fight to reclaim the valley that straddles the waterway.

For years the area comprising private properties in High St, Rodney St, Jack Browne Place and Melody Lane has been invaded by weeds and subjected to illegal rubbish dumping.

Auckland City Council has been hard pressed to maintain its cleanliness.

A "community owned" restoration project was created two years ago after Fairburn Primary School students highlighted the dire state of the stream and its surroundings.

The project is managed by EcoMatters Environment Trust in partnership with the council.

Last October the community did a clean-up and planted more than 300 trees in the area.

Last week students from Fairburn Primary, St Joseph’s Primary and Otahuhu Intermediate schools were at the end of Rodney St planting more cabbage trees, manuka and grasses.

The site had been cleaned up by the local community service crew who removed noxious weeds and inorganic rubbish.

EcoMatters manager Therese Mangos says repeat planting is necessary for the stream’s restoration .

"These species are particularly hardy and good initial plants to assist in revegetation and supporting the stream banks," she says.

After the tree planting, the youngsters learned more about the stream environment.

WeedFree Trust’s Neil Henderson introduced them to the types of birds, insects and fish they might expect to see and hear in a healthy stream environment.

Willomena the Weta was of particular interest to the kids, with lots of shrieks and bravery by those that dared have her crawl on them.

- © Fairfax NZ News