Little hands, big impact: West Eyreton School plants for the future
On a sunny morning beside the Poyntz Road bridge at West Eyreton, 38 tamariki from West Eyreton School swapped the classroom for the riverbank. Armed with their big shovels, they planted more than 180 native plants alongside a team from Environment Canterbury.
Getting stuck in
Before the big day, the children decorated their own plant guards. The guards added a splash of colour to the planting site and gave each child a sense of ownership of the plants they put in the ground.
"Our learners loved the experience and genuinely enjoyed being a part of the day. Taking part in the planting morning with Environment Canterbury was such a rewarding experience for everyone." – Georgia Franklin, teacher at West Eyreton School
For the students, the highlight was "being able to use a big shovel to dig holes and be kind to the native birds and animals!"
After the planting, Youth Engagement, Education and Enviroschools Advisor, Siobhán Culhane, led hands-on activities exploring the insects and other invertebrates that live on land and in the river.
The day connected classroom learning to the real world and fitted neatly with the students' recent learning about living things. They are keen to return to the bridge to check on their hard work and to water and care for their plants.
Why planting at Poynts Road Bridge matters
The site was funded through Environment Canterbury's Regional Infrastructure Funding to support flood resilience. The new plants will help protect the surrounding land and infrastructure, including the Poyntz Road bridge from erosion. They will also provide habitat for insects, birds and pollinators, and boost biodiversity.
The planting mix focused on hardy, dryland native species. It ranged from low-growing harakeke (flax) and a variety of shrubs to larger trees like tōtara. The largest share was kānuka (Kunzea ericoides).
Part of wider river restoration work
This planting is part our wider rivers work led by Braided Rivers Office - Natural Infrastructure Kyle Griffiths from the Braided Rivers Team. The project partners with local schools to regenerate riverbeds across Waitaha Canterbury. Ongoing planting in the region and the Enviroschools programme will create more opportunities to work with local schools and communities across Canterbury.
As our climate changes, planting for future generations matters more than ever. It enables communities to watch the plants grow and see over time how they protect the riverbank during extreme weather.
Community at the heart of our work
Working side by side with tamariki and their teachers shows the strength that comes from building relationships and working together. It also reflects our commitment to putting communities at the heart of everything we do.
Today's planters are tomorrow's kaitiaki (guardians), and they now have their own patch of the awa (river) to look after.