Buckets save parched plants
Thirsty new plants beside a lake full of water? The answer was obvious: let’s put up some buckets.
Kids Greening Taupo¯ education co-ordinator Rachel Thompson organised a community watering day for drooping native plants in the new restoration area at Five Mile Bay. She says the inspiration for the watering day came after a successful Arbor Day planting event in June 2019.
More than 170 people lugged water from the lake in buckets, including students from St Patrick’s Catholic School, Taupo¯ Primary School, Laughton Kindergarten, Te Kura Kaupapa Ma¯ ori o Whakarewa I Te Reo Ki
Tu¯ wharetoa and My Treehut Early Learning Centre.
“Some passing cyclists and tourists from the nearby camping area also got in on the action and helped out.”
Rachel says it was a beautiful sunny day and many schools made the event part of a fun day out at the lake, having a picnic lunch and a swim in the lake after finishing their work.
“It was a truly collaborative effort with Kids Greening Taupo¯ providing kai, Resene Taupo¯ donated buckets, Alex from Enviroschool helped out, Taupo¯ District Council and Shawn
Vennell from Quality Print brought along water tanks and hoses.”
Jointly hosted by Kids Greening Taupo¯ and Taupo¯ District Council, Rachel says the day was very successful at promoting the need for the Taupo¯ community to help restore our native bush to bring back the native birds.
“Many people do not realise that planting a restoration area is only the beginning. For three years, the area will need ongoing maintenance to survive. This includes, watering, weeding, and mulching.”
Taupo¯ District Council have hung buckets along the lakefront native planting areas to encourage people to water the trees as they go past. Rachel says the trees are struggling to survive through the very hot summer and asks that the public help.