Bainesse school on the grow

Horizons Regional Council is assisting a student-driven planting operation at Bainesse School which is changing the landscape and the students’ attitudes towards their environment.

The latest planting took place on Wednesday 28 October, with students planting 200 native plants including hebe, flax, coprosma and rengarenga.

Horizons environmental management officer Neil Mickleson says that this project is about sustained action and learning.

“The great thing about this project is that we’re taking direction from a committee of students at Bainesse who decide what to plant, where to plant and how their school moves forward.

When the committee is having a meeting, we come in and provide advice and supplies to the students but the decisions are theirs and they have to help do the planting.

“We’ve seen kids grow throughout this process and show amazing attitudes towards their native environments, which is a credit to the work of their enthusiastic teachers.”

“The kids are thinking about where to plant certain types of plants, what flora and fauna benefit and how they can contribute to their environment.”

Principal of Bainesse School Carwyn Caffell says that the experience has been a learning curve for students and staff alike.

“We can’t thank Horizons enough for the donation of their time, plants and the attitude that they bring.

Horizons and Liz Carroll have not only got these kids interested in planting, but they’ve also go them thinking strategically about their environment and how best to protect it,” says Caffell.

Horizons has been working with Bainesse School for four years as part of the Council’s community biodiversity programme. Horizons runs similar programmes at schools around the Region including College Street Normal, Riverdale School and Longburn School.

ENDS

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