A Million Seeds To Be Planted

The legend of Johnny Appleseed* has got nothing on this!

Waitakere City Council is doing its bit to keep New Zealand green by distributing nearly 1 million eco-sourced native plant seeds to its residents this week.

All 56,000 homes in the City will receive a seed packet and planting instructions along with the March issue of the Council’s ratepayers’ newsletter.

The massive mail out marks Waitakere’s 10th anniversary as an “Eco City”.

Along with the mix of native grasses, cabbage trees and shrub seeds is information on Waitakere’s “Green Network” programme, which aims to restore native bush and vegetation, remove environmentally damaging weeds and recreate healthy wildlife habitats.

“Over the past 10 years we have restored and protected hundreds of hectares of precious bush which not only provides fresh clean air for humans, but also places for wildlife,” says Mayor Bob Harvey.

“We have done that largely with the help of community groups and private citizens and this is just a small token to say thank-you and to keep up the good work.”

Mayor Harvey says even if just 10% (100,000) of the seeds are sown it will be a huge boost to the environment. “ By caring for these plants we are caring for the welfare of our eco-system, ourselves and our children,” he says.

Mayor Harvey also says that the project reinforces the importance of eco-sourcing (using locally sourced plants), which is vital to maintaining an area’s unique environmental characteristics.

Over the next few weeks, free workshops are also being held for residents. They will cover native plant restoration, how to plant the free seeds, and the help available through the Green Network Community Assistance programme.

For further information on the workshops, residents can phone the Council’s 24 hour Call centre on 839 0400.

*Johnny Appleseed (real name John Chapman) was an American pioneer who, in the 1800s travelled the country planting apple tree seeds as he went. He spent his life planting and tending nurseries of seedlings over hundreds of square kilometres in what are now the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.

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