The first stage of native planting around Lake Mahangaiti near Dannevirke has been completed with the help of keen students from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Tamaki
Nui-A-Rua.

Getting their hands well and truly dirty in the mud last Friday, the students planted 300 seedlings of wetland plants around Russell and Bill Turner’s retired riparian strip.

Horizons Regional Council staff were impressed by their enthusiasm and hard work.

On Monday the Dannevirke Conservation Corps finished the planting. Four keen students, their tutor Ricky Te Tau and Horizons Environmental Management Officer (Plants) Elaine Iddon planted the remaining one hundred trees. The students then had a go at ring barking some of the large invasive willow trees.

Ongoing planting and weed control are the next stages in this restoration project with both Herb Chase’s and the Turner’s first stage planting now complete.

On behalf of Russell and Bill Turner, Horizons staff would like to thank all the students and their tutors for their effort in helping to restore this important wetland back to native vegetation.