Year 9 students went on a field trip to our local forest recently. They were led by environmentalist, Emma Cronin, and volunteer, Barry Pethybridge who told them about the importance of pest control for the health of the Kaimai Forest.

The students made a donation of $210 to the Aongatete Forest Trust, which was was very much appreciated. The Trust has earmarked it to go towards buying two Good Nature A24 rat traps which it wants to place in a site from which deer have been excluded, in the hope of saving the rare and spectacular King Fern plants in the local forest.

It is very pleasing to continue forging strong bonds between Katikati College and Aongatete Forest Project. Not only is the forest Katikati’s back yard, it is also the vital ‘sponge’ that holds the water supply from which our community is fed. Hopefully the students now have a better appreciation of the value of a healthy forest to their school, their town, their families and to themselves.