Te Mata School students, teachers and parents plant native trees at Guthrie Park. Photo / Warren Buckland
Te Mata School students, teachers and parents plant native trees at Guthrie Park. Photo / Warren Buckland
Mahitahi, a Year 3 class at Te Mata School, has planted 400 native plants in their local park.
As part of their term two inquiry topic, the mahitahi class looked at ways to show kaitiakitanga in the Community.
Kaitiakitanga means guardianship and protection and is a way of managing andlooking after the environment.
The rain held off for the morning while mahitahi class worked together planting and learning about their care taking role as kaitiakitanga in their community. Photo / Warren Buckland
The class often uses Guthrie Park for various school activities, as it's close to Te Mata School.
Together the 42 students and two teachers decided that Guthrie Park was an area they could try to improve for the community.
Ben Hunt from the Hasting District Council's parks and reserves shows students from Te Mata School how to plant native saplings and shrubs. Photo / Warren Buckland
Petra Cawood, one of the two mahitahi teachers, discussed meaningful ways the class could help the community.
The children decided as there was now a bridge connecting Romanes Park and Guthrie Park and more people walking in the area, the stream's banks needed some development.
Te Mata School teacher Petra Cawood plants native shrubs with Josh Nicoll, 8 at Guthrie Park. Photo / Warren Buckland
The class understood they needed support and permission from the Hastings District Council and the Hawke's Bay Regional Council.
Each child in the class wrote their ideas to the two councils, which included beautifying the area, encouraging birdlife, and stopping their soccer balls from rolling into the stream.
Te Mata School teacher Pip Wilkins works with Alana Billing, 7, to plant natives as part of their kaitiakitanga role in the community. Photo / Warren Buckland
The children were excited to hear back from Ben Hunt at the district council and Sally Chandler from the regional council, who supported their ideas, Cawood said.
The district council supplied the native plants - flaxes, kakabeck, kowhai, manuka, and hebes.
On the day everyone got stuck in to help the Te Mata Mahitahi class plant over 400 natives along Guthrie Park stream. Photo / Warren Buckland
Chucking on their gumboots, rain jackets and warm clothes the 7 and 8-year-olds gathered on Friday to plant more than 400 natives with their teachers, while members of two councils came together to plant another 400 natives.
