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Valentine Willis and Max Makianu at the Wai Care community planting day

Media Release
16 August 2006

CONSERVATION WEEK PLANTINGS A SUCCESS

Community volunteers and students planted almost 5000 native trees along Puhinui Stream as part of Manukau City Council activities during Conservation Week.

On Saturday 60 volunteers planted approximately 2000 native trees, shrubs and grasses along a short stretch of the stream near the Manukau Super Clinic. This followed two days of plantings by students from local schools Wiri Central Primary, The Gardens and Manurewa High School.

The three days of planting was part of the the “Wildest Place in Town” project, a joint venture between Manukau City Council’s Wai Care Programme, local schools and Nestle New Zealand Limited.

Earlier in Conservation Week 100 children from the Seventh Day Adventist School in Papatoetoe joined Manukau City Council park rangers at a planting day on Tuesday in Aerovista Place Reserve. In addition to planting 700 native species, students also collected 50 bags of rubbish from the banks of the stream.

The plantings are part of a wider project to restore Puhinui Stream and create a walkway from the Manukau Harbour to Totara Park.

Manukau City Council Wai Care Programme Manager James Corbett says the restoration of a significant part of Manukau’s environment is only possible with the help of volunteers.

“Thanks to everybody who turned out to help. The results of the planting will be plain to see in years to come.

“When the Puhinui Stream is restored it will provide a wildlife refuge and a better environment for fish and birdlife. It will also create a better environmental connection between the headwaters in Totara Park and the Manukau Harbour.”

The next community planting day run by Manukau City Council is at Macleans Park in Pakuranga on 3 September. For more information contact Ken Tse on 262 8900.

ENDS

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