Carterton District Council has been getting its collective hands dirty for the past 12 months to restore the Ngā Tāwhai Reserve on Ngatawhai Rd, Te Wharau.
The reserve has previously been closed to the public, but thanks to the council’s work, plans to open it to everyone for recreational use are on the horizon.
A public invitation has been sent to the community to help plant trees and celebrate Matariki at the reserve.
“Matariki is about remembrance, as well as embracing the present and the future,” said Carterton District Council’s kaitātari, Te Whakapono Waikare.
“What we’re doing with Ngā Tāwhai incorporates those sentiments, so it’s a fitting event for the occasion.”
The council’s Ruamāhanga Climate Change strategy is to plant more trees in the district, reducing carbon emissions by drawing down additional CO2 in the atmosphere.
For those interested in helping plant trees on Friday, July 14, a free bus will depart from Carterton Events Centre at 8.30 am and then return from the reserve at noon.
Be sure to book your spot on the bus, though, as private transport to the site is prohibited.
