Keeping Taupo Green
Kids pulled together on Saturday to help keep Taupo green by planting new trees at Spa Park.
Kids Greening Taupo Coordinator Thea DePetris is working alongside Greening Taupo coordinator Robyn Ellis to help keep Taupo clean and pest free.
DePetris said Taupo children and young people get a chance to venture outside and get active and dirty through restoration works like planting trees, mulching and watering, removing pest weeds, and trapping predators like rats and stoats.
‘‘It gets school kids out there. It is connecting kids to nature and youth leadership opportunity to drive youth conservation projects.’’
Ellis said ‘‘It’s great that this is run by the kids...and it is cool how all the kids have little jobs to do.’’
All participating schools nominate representatives who become part of the programme’s Student Leadership Team.
This team works together with Taupo District Council on a largescale restoration project at Spa Park, as well as being in the ‘driver’s seat’ of other local projects, with a particular emphasis to increase community awareness and participation.
‘‘It is nice to see the young leaders rising and becoming the next conservation leaders,’’ said DePetris.