New Zealand World War 1 Memorial Forests project
New Zealand World War 1 Memorial Forests project
The New Zealand World War 1 Memorial Forests project, which will see 18,166 trees planted at various scenic sites around the Coromandel to honour all NZ soldiers who died in the war has been officially endorsed by Council today.
Council will now act as underwriter for the estimated $452,000 cost of the forest project over the next 10 years with costs to be recouped from grants from external agencies and from sale of the trees to the public.
The project, which is also known as "Te Wao Whakamaumaharatanga" (the Forest of Memories), will commence with initial planting on Anzac Day this year, with a push for more intensive planting with schools and volunteers groups in the autumn months. On average 6000 trees will need to be planted each year, with the forests completed by Armistice Day 2018.
As each tree will be numbered and plotted on GPS, members of the public will be able to purchase a tree to honour a fallen soldier for $100.
We will be looking for at least 3000 people to purchase a tree in order to meet funding targets, but will welcome as many purchasers as are willing to come forward.
To purchase a tree go to our website www.tcdc.govt.nz/ww1memorialforest and register your interest.
Preparation of the
sites
The project will see contractors
undertaking initial site preparation such as digging the
holes and staking, numbering and plotting GPS for each site,
with volunteers involved in the initial planting and
maintenance. To ensure long-term care, contractors will be
working with volunteer groups to look after each tree in the
longer-term.
"We have had fantastic feedback so far from all the organisations we have met to discuss the project," says Thames-Coromandel District Mayor Glenn Leach.
We are working with a variety of agencies including DOC, WRC, Forest and Bird, kauri 2000 and local RSA's.
"We are also starting to make contact with schools around the district so students can be involved from possibly growing the trees in nurseries, to on-going, long-term maintenance. The meetings we've had so far from the schools we have approached has been extremely positive," says Mayor Leach.
Where
are the sites?
Final decisions on the site of
each battle are yet to be made, but at this stage it is
proposed that Gallipoli (2779 trees) will be honoured on
Department of Conservation land above Cathedral Cove, that
the Battle of Passchendaele will be remembered at the new
Whitianga Cemetery, with the Thames War Memorial honouring
the Battle of Messines Ridge (1300 trees), as well as a
separate site on the entrance to Thames to specifically
remember the war dead from the town. Other sites will be the
Tangitarori Lane walkway from Pauanui-Hikuai which will
honour the Palestine campaign, and the Battle of Le Quesnoy
at Whangamata. Other sites are still under investigation for
the remaining battles to be commemorated.
For more information go to www.tcdc.govt.nz/ww1memorialforest
ENDS