Helping HELP
Waihi College again joined forces with HELP Waihi Inc, the local habitat group, to continue work along the Waitete stream.
On June 16 pupils from Year 8 of the William Pike programme ventured to the lower Waitete at the end of Lawrence Rd to help plant more than 1000 assorted shrubs, canopy trees and sedges.
HELP were funded to carry out the work by Hauraki District Council and produced the plants in their nursery on the College Farm Unit. The 20 pupils also carried the extensive pre-planting weed control and planting preparation.
The students had earlier spent time up in the nursery learning something of the plant propagation process, helping to make seed trays and then pricking out plants from seed trays into planter bags. This planting was also supported by a grant of $480 from the Waihi Swimming Club who had a fundraiser evening at the end of their season.
June 19 saw 15 pupils from Year 9, joined by 10 pupils from Waimata School, walk up the old reservoir access road to planting sites in the upper Waitete valley.
HELP had fenced off two sections of the Waitete stream. Over 1050 plants were used to infill newly fenced areas. The funding came from a Waikato Regional Council grant for working along the Waitete, plus funding that HELP itself is providing.
This complemented work undertaken by the adjacent landowners Dean Urquhart and Jeni Rowe, who have undertaken a large amount of fencing and gully planting on their property.
HELP has been working on fencing and planting the Waitete stream for the past 15 years and Waihi College and other local schools have often been involved in the planting process.
Part of the area now has a walkway and there has been a suggestion that the walkway should be extended to link down to the Rail Trail at the Lawrence Rd dredging plant site.
In the meantime HELP, with the support of Hauraki District Council, is clearing weeds behind properties on Dean Cres.
The riverbank, owned by HDC, has become overrun by wild prunus, privet and a variety of creepers. Once weed control is more advanced, further planting will be undertaken.