Planting integrates newcomers
Newcomers have been encouraged to pick up a spade, put on some gumboots and experience the New Zealand environment.
A planting day held by the Kaipatiki Project and Albany Newcomers Network was targeted at new migrants and saw the more than 130 participants plant trees in Unsworth Reserve and walk through the bush to discover plants and birds.
The day aimed to help make new arrivals feel more integrated into Kiwi culture by teaching them about nature, trees and animals as well as help the recovering kauri forest and wetland in the reserve.
Albany Newcomers Network coordinator Laure Romanetti says the day drew people from all over the world from Taiwan and Singapore, to Russia and Uruguay.
Romanetti says she’d love to host the day again and encourages newcomers to venture out of their familiar communities to meet others.
‘‘It’s easy for newcomers to stay within their nationalities,’’ Romanetti says.
‘‘The idea is that it’s ok to stay within your community but you need to come out of it from time to time to experience other cultures and the New Zealand culture.’’
The French immigrant says the more people from other cultures know about the New Zealand environment, the easier it will be for them to enjoy it and look after it.
Taiwanese immigrant John Li heard about the event from the Chinese Conservation Education Trust and was surprised at the diverse turnout.
He says he enjoyed learning about both native and plants.
‘‘I was astonished that so many people, who are from different ethnicities, attended this activity,’’ Li says.
‘‘I liked the voluntary guide who was knowledgeable about the plants in Unsworth Reserve.’’
The Albany resident says he would encourage others to attend any similar events in the future as exotic it could help locals learn about the environment they live in and educate others about protecting the environment.
‘‘I learned New Zealand native plants can help keep our wetlands clean and native birds or animals can inhabit there happily,’’ Li says.
More than 130 people from a range of countries attended the July 2 event.