CELEBRATION: Friends of the Otaki River chairman Max Lutz, middle, with Wellington Community Trust trustee Dawn Sanders, left, and Wellington Airport chief executive Steve Sanderson, right.
CELEBRATION: Friends of the Otaki River chairman Max Lutz, middle, with Wellington Community Trust trustee Dawn Sanders, left, and Wellington Airport chief executive Steve Sanderson, right.
Friends of the Otaki River has won the heritage and environment category in the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards.
"We're absolutely delighted," the group's chairman Max Lutz said.
"There's 25 to 30 volunteers [with a wide skillset] who turn up every Wednesday.
"And the most important thing is that everyone works as a team."
The group, which concentrates on a seven kilometre stretch from the estuary by the river mouth to Chrystalls Bend, started in 1999/2000 after being initiated by the Greater Wellington Regional Council.
"Once the regional council had identified the Otaki Floodplain Management Plan, from the community consultation, they then formed the Friends of the Otaki River group," Mr Lutz said.
"The group's main objective is to monitor the flood protection, and the protection of Otaki people and their assets.
"And there was a window of opportunity to start environmental enhancement on the river.
"It took a while to get going but after a few years the group is growing up to 5000 plants a year."
Walkways, bridges, picnic tables, park benches, viewing platforms, boardwalks and an information kiosk have been added.
"It's just fantastic."
Mr Lutz said the group had buy-in from the community with local sponsorship and corporate funding which was "huge".
And the group, which also engages a different school each year to plant 1000 trees, has a strong partnership with Greater Wellington Regional Council and Kapiti Coast District Council.
Friends of the Otaki River meets every Wednesday from 9am to 11.30pm by the flood protection depot on the corner of Riverbank Rd and State Highway 1, Otaki. Everyone is welcome.
