Arbor Day boost for Waiwhakareke

Hamiltonians have a chance to leave a lasting legacy at Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park this Friday, 1 June, for Arbor Day.

Arbor Day, a global event emphasising the need to protect natural environments, will see more than 23,000 eco-sourced plants dug in to the soil at one of Hamilton’s most important ecological sites.

Hamilton City Council’s Community Planting Co-ordinator Gerard Kelly says the Arbor Day event, The Big Dig In, has a strong focus on education and community involvement.

“We’ve had great buy-in from a number of schools, and it will be an informative day out of the classroom for the children involved. We’ve produced some material to guide them with the actual planting, as well as a little test for teachers to use to find out what the kids have learnt,” Mr Kelly says.

The Waikato Migrant Centre has gathered a group of keen migrant volunteers to attend Arbor Day.  This will be an important event for migrants, giving them an opportunity to contribute to the growth of their new city.

A number of local businesses are also joining The Big Dig In, including Fusion Print, Genesis Energy Telecom and First Credit Union.

The Big Dig In begins at 10am, and is a collaborative event involving Hamilton City Council, Waikato Regional Council, Waikato University, Tui 2000 Trust, Waikato Catchment Ecological Enhancement Trust and WINTEC.

Anyone interested in being part of The Big Dig In should email parksopenspaces@hcc.govt.nz. Gumboots and wet weather gear is recommended.