Gisborne students lead planting of 1000 natives along Taruheru River

St Mary's Catholic School pupils took the lead in a Gisborne planting project this month. Photo / Allie Naden

Nearly 300 community volunteers came together over two days to plant 1000 native plants along Gisborne’s Taruheru River.

The Enviroschool project encouraged young people to lead sustainability projects in their communities.

About 220 St Mary’s Catholic School pupils led the planting and were joined by 74 other volunteers.

St Mary’s early literacy support and specialist teacher Allie Naden said the project was a “huge community effort”.

Last year, the school identified a need for a “buffer zone” between the school and the edges of the Taruheru River nearby.

After testing the water quality with the help of Hana Hardy, the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust programme co-ordinator based at Tairāwhiti Environment Centre, they found the river near the school was polluted.

The community got stuck into the planting on May 4 and 5. All of the plants were native and included harakeke and koromiko.

The spiral planting formation was designed by Reuban Coffey.

Coffey said the spiral “raperape” pattern symbolised “continuous flow of life, the intertwining and connectedness of all living creatures of the taiao [environment]”.

The spiral “raperape” pattern of the planting symbolised the “continuous flow of life, the intertwining and connectedness of all living creatures of the taiao [environment]”, said designer Reuban Coffey. Photo / Allie Naden

Raperape is a common pattern in whakairo design (carving) and moko (tattooing). The pattern also symbolises the pito (umbilical cord) that joins māmā to pēpi (mother to baby).

“We are aiming for this area to be a connector for our tamariki, hapori and taiao,” Coffey said.

“As the raperape symbolises continuity and inclusion, it is a great reminder that this work is not finished, and it will carry on for many years to come”.

The next steps for the volunteers are mulching the area, and pupils have been creating “do not swim” signage to alert the public. Coffey said there will be a “high need” for regular maintenance over the next three years.

St Mary’s school thanked local groups that have supported the initiative – Haumanu Tū Ora, Enviroschools, Gisborne District Council biosecurity, ATS, Whitebait Connections, Te Aitanga a Mahaki and Native Garden Nursery.