Hero photograph
Eco Action
 
Photo by AGHS

Eco Action

Eco Action —

Students from our Environment Council and our Gardening Club have recently become involved with the Eco-Action Nursery Trust.

Eco-Action are a group who are commited to planting native trees in the Red Zone close to our school. They eco-source native plant seed from Travis Wetlands. Eco-sourcing means plants are adapted to their local environment and are more likely to grow well. The plants grown provide year-round food and habitat for native birds and other fauna like insects, lizards and invertebrates. The aim is to provide a green corridor from the coast to the city for native birds to use.

Eco Action — Image by: AGHS

Seeds are germinated and potted on by student volunteers from eleven schools, of which AGHS is one. Students and teachers take delivery of the small plants and grow them on till they are ready to be put in the ground. All the growing equipment is donated to them from funds raised by Eco-Action, and from their generous sponsors, some of who are mentioned here: CLS Canterbury Landscape Services (who provides the excellent potting and seed raising mix that grows such good plants), Envirowaste, Living Earth, Mainland Tanks and Drums, Isaacs, Stark Brothers, Blacks Fasteners, Tiki Wines, Cant Poly Pipe.

In week 10 of this term we received the first 500 tree seedlings to set up our satellite nursery. Within a few lunchtimes of fantastic work our students had re-potted these into larger pots to give them room to grow. These are now set up in one of our gardens.

Our students have also been involved in two planting sessions so far, giving up their Sunday mornings to help out. We have been part of a large team of volunteers, who in two mornings have planted 2200 native trees into their new homes. Thank you so much to all the students who have given up their time so far, and to Eco-Action for giving us this opportunity.