As this year’s planting season gets underway it is good to look back on the previous year’s achievements. The Society’s business plan called for 16,000 trees to be planted in 2016, and this was more than achieved, spread over 13 sites in the area. This compares with 9,000 trees planted at seven sites in 2015. The input of more than 800 hours of volunteer time over the last year has meant there are more than 19,000 trees ready to add to the tally in 2017. Seven planting days were held involving community members, school groups or Fonterra staff, UDC staff and Spark Foundation members.
Last year, funding came from Reconnecting Northland, Living Water (the DoC-Fonterra partnership) and Noel Radd Motors. In addition to providing the land for planting, participating farmers also chipped in financially.
Society secretary Mark Vincent says: “We are always looking for new sites, so if there are farmers in the Maungaturoto – Paparoa – Ararua area thinking of planting up waterways, foreshore or erosion-prone land, they should give me a call (021 0829 8037) to discuss ways and means. We might even be able to do something for you this year.”