Waiariki Food Forest volunteers Paul Doherty (left), Ngahere Cullen, 9, Ruanui Cullen, 7, and Buck Cullen, won't let the vandalism of their community garden deter them. Photo / Paul Taylor
A vandalism attack won't deter an Onerahi community group from setting up a garden to provide fruit and veges for the suburb.
The group is turning a 700sqm piece of council-owned land in Whimp Ave into the Waiariki Food Forest, with plantings of fruit and nut trees and a wide
range of vegetables. But at the weekend somebody destroyed some of the trees and plants - including slashing banana trees, snapping and digging some trees up and taking them away - undoing a lot of the hard work.
Waiariki Food Forest volunteer Wendy Giffin said the destruction was saddening, especially as the group was trying to do something positive for the community.
She said more than 100 people had taken part in planting efforts at the site, which also had the backing of Whangarei District Council. Plenty of children had taken part, which also gave them a good understanding of the advantage of having a good garden. "I don't think it was kids (who destroyed the plants). They used a spade and made sure some of the plants could not be saved and I don't think kids would be carrying a spade around," she said.
"We're just trying to help out the community and provide free, healthy food, so I'm gutted that this has happened, but it won't stop us."
