With just one more community planting day planned for this year’s planting season, Porirua City Council is grateful for the turnout of local volunteers so far.

In 2024 alone, Council aims to plant 165,000 native trees and other streamside plants along our waterways to further enhance their health, and the health of Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour.

So far this year we’ve had more than 100 volunteers and seven different school groups come out in the field with us to plant close to 6000 plants.

Other community planting groups have also planted more than 1000 native trees and grasses.

"It’s heartening to see our residents turn out for events such as this," says Porirua Mayor Anita Baker.

"It is important that the people who live in Porirua understand the importance of healthy waterways and the amount of work it takes to return our harbour to the beautiful taonga it is."

For the third and final community planting day of 2024, the focus is moving rural to Battle Hill Farm Forest Park, where 1500 plants are planned to go in the ground on the afternoon of Saturday 27 July.

Sedimentation from rural catchments is a major contributor affecting the health of Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour, as steep rural land becomes a major source of sediment runoff.

Planting in these areas significantly reduces sediment and nutrient runoff into waterways. As the plants grow, they also provide shade over streams, food for freshwater invertebrates and they create a habitat that supports strong biodiversity.

Alongside community planting days, Porirua City Council works with rural landowners to support riparian planting on their properties. Funding allows landowners access to subsidised fencing, weed control, planting and maintenance.

The third and final community planting day will run from 1-3.30pm on Saturday 27 July at Battle Hill Farm Forest Park. If you would like to come and help out or would like more information, please email streamside.planting@poriruacity.govt.nz and let them know how many people will be in your group.

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