Planting to bring pleasure
It’s a simple pleasure planting something in the ground and watching it grow.
And this is something almost everyone can agree on - when you can see your own contribution to your community, it’s a special feeling.
Michaela Stoneman, a member of the Patea Planting Trust, said this was something she witnessed regularly, and she encourages others to come and find that feeling.
‘‘In the past we have had help from the Alton Scouts and school students. Many parents bring their kids along and we have a few mates that have come from New Plymouth and Wellington to help out,’’ Stoneman said.
‘‘It feels good to plant trees and see them grow.’’
The trust’s next planting day is Saturday May 27, and possibly Sunday 28, and chairman Leicester Cooper is encouraging the people to come along too.
‘‘If you are feeling hearty and would like to spend some time improving the environment, and also generating some feel-good factor for yourself, come along and spend time with some like-minded people of the community,’’ Cooper said.
‘‘If the day is fine on the Saturday then we may get all the plants in if we have a good turnout, but we will have Sunday 28th as a back up.’’
Despite the planting day being weather dependant, the Taranaki weather was the least of Cooper’s concerns this year.
‘‘While we bemoan a less than wondrous summer, the extra moisture has been appreciated by the plants that we put in last year,’’ he said.
‘‘There has been a high level of survival and increased rate of growth compared to the hot dry years previously encountered.’’
The Patea Planting Trust has planted thousands of trees in the past five years at the Patea River Walkway with with the vision in mind guiding the project: ‘‘a ribbon of native bush from the bridge to the sea alive with the song of our native bird taonga and the whisperings of our human history,’’ Stoneman said.
This year’s planting will take place on the dunes stretching between the sewage ponds and the Patea Motor Camp.
Cooper said they would place flags to lead the way to the planting location from both the York Street, and Turi Street entrances.