Wetland restoration begins
Clearing weeds such as gorse, and replanting, is underway in the wetland at Whangaparāoa College.
A wetland on the grounds of Whangaparāoa College is being restored, a small section at a time, in a project expected to take several years.
The school has more than 3.5ha of wetland, including two stormwater ponds. Work on its restoration has been divided into three stages.
The area is full of invasive weeds, including gorse, and assistant head of Year 7, teacher Julia Jarvis, says the first step is removing those.
Local environmental groups – Restore Hibiscus & Bays and Whitebait Connection – are working with the Year 7 students on the project. Thanks to these groups, the students are learning a lot about invasive weeds and how to remove them, native plants, water quality, and why it is important to restore the wetland.