Planting season is nearing in Porirua, and this year Porirua City Council aims to get 165,000 streamside plants in the ground to further enhance the health of our local waterways.

Improving freshwater quality is something everyone wants, and planting native plants near our waterways is something we can do to benefit Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour.

Porirua City Council is working in partnership with Ngāti Toa on a 20-year streamside planting programme to restore the mauri of our streams and harbour for future generations.

More than 200,000 trees, sedges and grasses have already gone in the ground in the first two years of the project, with the goal to plant more than 600,000 by 2026.

"This major project can only work when we get passionate and dedicated residents on board to help advocate for their local environment and encourage others to care about what’s going on in their own backyard," Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says.

This year’s planting programme will be a mix of community planting days, schools and volunteer groups having planting sessions, as well as Council staff working with rural landowners to plant in key locations around Porirua.

Community planting days planned for this year begin with a session of planting at Cannons Creek Lake Reserve on Saturday, 11 May between 10am-1pm.

A second planting day will be held in late June at Belmont Regional Park to coincide with Matariki, and a third at the end of July at Battle Hill.

"Taking part in a community planting day is a great, hands-on way for our residents to know they are making a difference for their local environment," says Porirua City Council Manager Harbour and Resource Recovery Nigel Clarke.

"Last year we had more than 180 volunteers helping out across Porirua, and we’d love to see that number grow."

Check out the Streamside Planting Programme page on our website for more information about what’s happening this year: poriruacity.govt.nz/streamside-planting

© Scoop Media