Local schools participate in Titirangi Guardian Planting Programme

Children from six local schools have been busy over the last three weeks helping plant 900 plants as part of the Titirangi Guardian Planting programme.

Always a popular programme for schools, spots were snapped up by Awapuni, Mangapapa, Kaiti and Te Wharau Schools, Gisborne Intermediate as well as Te Kura Kaupapapa o Horouta Wananga.

Project manager Ranell Nikora said the focus this year was for children to build a relationship with the maunga. While some children were regular visitors to Titirangi, others had never been before.

“One way we chose to help build the relationship was to tell a love story that involves two characters Te Aoputaputa and Tawhito who lived on Titirangi maunga. The story relates to a famous whakatauki ‘Whaia te iti Kahurangi, ki te tuohu koe me he maunga teitei’ - which means ‘strive to succeed, and should you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain’,” Ms Nikora said.

“By connecting the children with a story of love and triumph, we hope they will identify with those attributes which lead us to success and deepen their affinity to our maunga.”

Two of the planting sites were named Tawhito and Te Aoputaputa to help children retain the story and associate it with their experience.

The third site was named Toko Toru Tapu after the church at the base of the maunga.

Among other plants, more Kowhai was planted at this site in an existing grove dedicated to the 28 Maori battalion.

Other plants included Tarata, Koromiko, Ake ake, Harakeke, Houhere and Ti Kouka.

This is the third year the Titirangi Guardian Planting Programme has been run with local schools, but for the first time was offered in English and Te Reo.

The project was made possible with community support, including Kauri Forno from Enviroschools, chief planter James Petersen and the Te Poho o Rawiri marae building team who supplied trailers, shovels and muscle power. The Women’s Native Tree Project also gifted 150 manuka for the programme. Turanga Ararau provided a number of volunteers while Eastland Group donated the mulch for the project.

ENDS

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