Environment fund pays off

Eight local Enviroschools working to restore wetland areas and create lizard gardens showcased their work at an "Enviroschools Porirua Living Landscapes Student Celebration" on Tuesday, September 24.

The project, coordinated by Enviroschools, Te Rito Gardens and Te Aho Tū Roa has been funded for the past three years through Greater Wellington Regional Council's Community Environment Fund.

Enviroschool's Amanda Dobson says the organisation ran the celebratory event with funding from Porirua City Council (PCC).

"This project encourages young people to look after and enhance their local environments and learn about the importance of our waterways. This strongly reflects the aspirations of both Enviroschools and PCC," Amanda says.

The event was hosted at Ngāti Toa School, and included a visit to see their Hukarito awa project site down behind the school, including a walk downstream to see where the awa meets the harbour.

Greater Wellington senior biodiversity advisor Jo Fagan says the Community Environment Fund, which supports community groups to restore, maintain and protect native ecosystems, is open for applications again.

"These schools have demonstrated what this fund is all about. These dedicated students, some of whom have been restoring wetland areas or lizard gardens since 2016, were provided with native plants to enhance their projects.

"This round of funding is for projects in Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour and surrounding catchment area - from Churton Park to Pukerua Bay and inland of Pauatahanui.

"People can apply for the fund if they have a project in this area that will improve ecosystems, benefit the harbour and involve the wider community," Jo says.

Applications for the Community Environment Fund close on September 30. For more information visit http://www.gw.govt.nz/communityfunding/

Schools that attended the event: Ng?ti Toa School, Cannons Creek School, Corinna School, Adventure School, Discovery School, Papakowhai School, Paremata School, Te Kura Māori o Porirua.