Greening Taupō's planting season includes activities for children. Photo / Supplied
It's time to pull out your gumboots again as the 2022 Greening Taupō community planting season is about to begin.
Greening Taupō has an exciting line-up of planting events planned for this year. We have got great support from some awesome organisations, groups and individuals. They are making it possible to get more native plants in the ground to help us to improve the Taupō environment for people and the native wildlife.
We are kicking the planting season off on Sunday, April 10 at 10am with a community planting at the Taupō Golf Club along Centennial Drive.
Greening Taupō has partnered up with the Taupō Golf Club on Project Birdlife, an exciting restoration project focused on the areas at and surrounding the grounds of the Taupō Golf Club.
Donations from Taupō Golf Club patrons go towards the native plantings, along with a generous donation from Contact Energy. In time the plantings will create a habitat that will allow the native birds to flourish.
Look out for the planting on Wairakei Drive at the end of the April school holidays. On May 21 the community is invited to plant alongside Acid Drop, a track that goes from the Control Gates Hill path down to Gates Park.
This restoration project has been made possible with the amazing fundraising efforts by Sarah Battson from Fox Physio. She cycled the length of Aotearoa in a blistering 21 days raising over $9000 for Greening Taupō. Awesome stuff.
Greening Taupō is going to hold another Greening Taupō Day on June 3, which is
just before Arbour Day. Greening Taupō Day 2021 was a massive success with more than 1000 people attending and 4000 trees planted.
We are going to do it all again with plants from Trees that Count and with support from Taupō District Council. This year it is to be held at Crown Park alongside the gully. There is loads of room for everyone and there will be some fun additional activities for the kids.
There will also be great competitions during the week for schools, kindergartens, and businesses who want to be involved. If you are keen to be part of it get in touch info@greeningtaupo.org.nz.
The remaining community plantings include the annual Contact Energy planting, a Matariki planting along the Waikato river, a Student Leadership Team planting at Spa Park, plantings on Centennial Drive and at Hipapatua, and then we will be finishing off with the annual Whakaipo Bay planting on October 1.
Everyone is welcome to join in and no experience is necessary. We have Kids Greening Taupō student leaders in hi-vis on site who are willing to help out and teach everyone how to plant properly.
They will demonstrate to you how to "plant like a ninja" to ensure the plants all get a good start in the ground.
We are trying to get mulch delivered to all planting sites and it's a great help to get everyone to spread the mulch once the plants are in the ground. We have noticed at previous planting sites where mulch has been used that it keeps the weeds at bay and helps the soil retain moisture so that the plants don't get too stressed in the summer.
There is always a sausage sizzle afterward for all planters. We plant in rain and shine so you do need to come prepared with wet weather gear, warm clothes, or a sunhat if required, and don't forget your gardening gloves.
We usually get the site prepared before the big event with holes dug and the plants sitting next to the hole ready to go in, so a spade is not necessary but it is helpful. We do have a few spades to share on the day if needed.
Keep an eye on our Facebook page for up-to-date information for each planting event closer to the date. We look forward to seeing you all out there on planting day.