Kaipara schools have teamed up to plant hundreds of native trees and grasses on the banks of Paparoa Stream in the heart of the settlement.

The initiative is part of the Kaipara Moana Remediation, a programme reducing sediment flows into the Kaipara Moana by supporting farmers and groups to fence off and plant waterways and eroding hillsides.

Tinopai, Paparoa and Maungaturoto primary schools joined the KMR team, Te Uri o Hau, Enviroschools, Whitebait Connection and local volunteers over two days to do the planting.

KMR Community and Hapū Engagement Advisor Griffin Hope says the efforts of the students was awesome despite battling mud and rank kikuyu which made digging holes hard.

“This kind of mahi is really important to do as a community as it teaches our children the importance of caring for the environment,” says Griffin.

“The kids put in a huge effort with their enthusiasm and did a beautiful job of putting 550 plants in the ground. The area looks amazing. It will be something they can see flourish over the years and take pride in their efforts as the natives become established in that area.

“We are also very grateful to landowner Tim Wearmouth, who graciously allowed us to plant his stream margin.”

The Kaipara Moana is the largest harbour in the Southern Hemisphere, home to rare and threatened species and habitats. The harbour has major economic value as the breeding ground for New Zealand’s snapper fishery. However, high sediment levels have put this at risk.

Funded by the Ministry for the Environment, Northland Regional Council and Auckland Council, KMR supports landowners across the 600,000 hectare catchment to protect and restore waterways and retire eroding hillsides.

As a Jobs for Nature investment, KMR also supports local, nature-based employment, training and accreditation. KMR is now supporting more than one in three landowners to take action to protect waterways, strengthen climate and flood resilience, and increase local habitats and biodiversity.

Thanks to KMR, over 950,000 native plants are in the ground, or contracted to plant, over 200 hectares.