9 June 2006

Celebrate life – help create a totara grove

Celebrate a special occasion and help create a totara grove at Kaitoke Regional Park.

Greater Wellington Regional Council has established a “Celebrate Life Totara Grove” at Te Marua, Kaitoke Regional Park.

Kaitoke Park Ranger Steve Edwards says members of the public can buy one of 100 totara saplings to plant at the grove.

“You may wish to celebrate your marriage, a new-born child, or a significant achievement in your life like completing a marathon or graduating from university,” Steve says.

The totara is a symbol of strength and goodness, with its own wairua or spiritual life force. The Celebrate Life Grove is a significant area at Te Marua and will always be publicly accessible

“The Hutt Valley was once filled with lowland podocarps like totara. Eventually this area will provide a glimpse of what it looked like prior to European settlement,” Steve says.

For $30 you get a totara sapling, a certificate and maintenance of the tree. You can plant the tree yourself or a park ranger can plant it for you. Greater Wellington will accept your request to plant a tree at any time of the year. The trees are planted from autumn to spring for the best chance of survival.

ENDS

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