Volcano To Sea will Wrap up in Style.

NZ Landcare Trust's successful 'Volcano to Sea' project reaches a conclusion at the end of May and plans are in place to celebrate its many achievements, through a community planting event and release of an informative publication.

This innovative urban community catchment management project has made huge strides over three years, bringing a multi-cultural community together in an effort to support biodiversity restoration along the Pakuranga Stream and Whakaaranga Creek in the heart of Auckland's Howick ward.

The project has demonstrated the enormous potential of harnessing community interest in an urban catchment scale project. Planting days, rubbish collection events, education sessions, and project celebrations have all attracted huge local support with families, schools, community groups, business, council and environmental agencies all playing a big role. To draw the Trust's involvement in the project to a close, a celebration planting event will take place on Saturday 11 April.

NZ Landcare Trust Project Coordinator Heidi Clark said "We would like to wrap up our involvement with the project in the same way we started - with lots of fun! Oh, and we'll also get plenty of planting done too."

Heidi stated, “This project has been successful because we have been able to harness the energy that is created when everyone works together. A wide variety of people have all joined in to make urban restoration something that can be fun, satisfying and educational."

E hara taku toa, I te toa taki tahi, He toa takitini – “Strength and achievement comes from everyone working together.”

The concept of rural community catchment management has gained wide support but delivering a catchment scale project in an urban environment is a new challenge. Volcano to Sea has demonstrated the potential of this approach and NZ Landcare Trust plans to produce a publication that outlines key factors behind the success.

Due for release in April ' Community Urban Restoration and Education Guide' will act as a blueprint for setting up an urban catchment restoration programme based on the Volcano to Sea model.

Heidi stated, "the new guide will share the lessons learned from the 'Volcano to Sea' project to inspire and assist other urban catchments around New Zealand. It won’t tell you what to plant, or how to build a fish ladder, but it will tell you how to get a catchment project up and running, with valuable 'tips and tools' for those wanting to make a difference in their town or city."
If you would like to know more about the planting event or reserve a copy of the new guide please contact NZ Landcare Trust Project Coordinator Heidi Clark:
· heidi.clark@landcare.org.nz

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