Monday 8 September 2014

Many hands make light work


The Rotary Club of Hawera, NZ had a working bee on the July 16 in conjunction with the Te Rangatapu Trust at the local Ohawe Beach to plant native plants to enhance the Waingongoro River.

The river has a swimming hole which is very popular in the summer while its populations of brown and rainbow trout draw fishermen from around Taranaki.

This area is also considered a key native ecosystem by the Regional Council for its significant indigenous biodiversity.

Teamwork meant that 60 young and not so young helpers from all sectors of the community planted 380 plants. Native plants included Toetoe, Purei, Taupata, Cabbage Tree, Karaka, Corokis, Akeake, Broadleaf and Totara. These plants will help restore the native vegetation cover to a degraded part of this river system and bring back native birds to the area.

The Ohawe Progressive Association and the Te Rangatapu Trust supplied tea, coffee and a sausage sizzle which were greatly appreciated by the volunteers.