Concert under the trees celebrates Lions' project

Music Under the Trees will celebrate the work of the Ngongotaha Lions. Photo/file

If you are heading over to Rotorua on Sunday, March 5, there's a chance to take in some music and nature at TECT Park on the way.

Music Under the Trees is being held for the fourth time and audiences are growing, according to event organiser Trevor Hawkins.

"In our first year we had about 40 people and last year we had about 200 turn up. People could hear the music as they drove past and they stopped off to listen," he says.

The afternoon of music is to celebrate the work of the Ngongotaha Lions who have been the driving force behind the Lions Tree Grove, a native tree planting project that many other Lions groups in the Bay of Plenty have also participated in.

He says the site has been transformed from bare land to a place where some native trees are now four metres high: where tuis, bell birds, tom tits, and insect life is returning.

"While we will never live long enough to see the day where we can sit under the shade of these trees, it is absolutely fantastic to see it come back.

"This is a heritage project that we have put into place. It will end up being a native bush oasis in a predominantly exotic forest," says Mr Hawkins.

Performing on the day is ukulele group Simply Strings, followed by Theory 89 playing music from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Closing the entertainment will be the Rotorua Symphonic Band playing a selection of easy listening music.

The Lions will put on a sausage sizzle for donation, and there will be tea and coffee available for $1. All money raised is for grove maintenance.

"Please bring seats, blankets and a picnic, sit back and relax listening to a cross section of music in the wonderful setting of the Dell," said Mr Hawkins.

This event is a fundraiser from the ongoing project that the Lions Tree Grove Committee have been working on for the last five years, converting 2.4 hectares of cut over pine forest back into New Zealand native bush. The "Grove" is situated alongside Adrenalin Forest and has walking tracks through it plus a grassed area to just relax on with a picnic and friends.