Teaming up for a healthier harbour
Thousands more plants were put in the banks of Porirua Stream last week as part of a project to reduce silt and contaminants entering Te-Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour.
Dozens of community volunteers joined Word Wide Fund for Nature and Porirua City Council staff to plant native trees and plants below Kenepuru Drive. The school holidays brought a number of children with their families down to help, in warm and overcast weather.
Carex, flax, toitoi, lemonwoods and other plants were put in the ground as part of Project #ReBlossomNZ, a collaboration led by Botanica by Air Wick and WWF, working with Ngāti Toa and Porirua, Wellington City, and the regional councils.
All up, about 6600 plants have gone in to provide shade and help prevent pollutants from the nearby roads and state highways enter the stream, which flows into the harbour. The stream supports six species of native fish: longfin and shortfin eels, giant kōkopu, inanga, redfin, and common bullies.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker said it was great to see the turnout last week and was confident of continuous community involvement.
While the recent lockdown and current alert levels curtailed some public participation, there will be ample opportunities in the coming five years for people to get their hands in the soil.
“We’ve set aside $600,000 for riparian planting in our recent Long-term Plan, so this is important for our Council and our city,” Mayor Baker said.
“These plantings are a big step towards rejuvenating our precious harbour and, with many more harbour-related projects in the pipeline, I’m sure the community will help us along the journey.”
Ngāti Toa Treaty and Strategic Relationships General Manager Naomi Solomon acknowledged the significance of the waterway to Ngāti Toa, having historically been used for mahinga kai (food gathering areas).
“The collective planting efforts will go far in providing protection for the stream bed and raising awareness in the community around kaitiakitanga of our natural environment,” she said.
Follow: Facebook / Twitter
Visit: poriruacity.govt.nz
Call: (04) 237 5089
Poll: Is the increase in disability parking fines fair?
In October, the fine for parking in a designated mobility car park without a permit has jumped from $150 to $750—a 400% increase!
The goal is to keep these spaces open for those who truly need them. Do you think this big increase in the fine is fair? Share your thoughts below.
-
89.1% Yes, it's fair
-
10.2% No, it's unreasonable
-
0.7% Other - I'll share below
Just dough it
With three basic ingredients and a bit of creativity, you can give old containers new life with Resene testpots.
Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.
Do you recognise any of these bikes? 🚲
Wellington Police have recently recovered eight bikes and would like to reunite them with their owners.
If you believe one is yours, head to the Wellington Police Station to retrieve your property. Make sure to bring either a proof of purchase or serial number to prove ownership.
To have a proper look, click on any image to enlarge it.
Loading…
