In the last week of Term 3 the sun came out in the Town Belt at Mornington Park as the OGHS Plant Club prepared the area for the planting of 35 native trees: Mingimingi (Coprosma), Lancewood and Kowhai. The Kowhai have been germinated by Year 13 Science classes during their biology investigation and nurtured by the Plant Club over the last two years. With help from the Kaitiaki Town Belt coordinator and with consultation with the DCC, the OGHS Plant Club designed the area and created a landscape plan.

Students from 9Rs and 10Mgw joined the Plant Club in planting the trees including staking, adding fertiliser tablets and supporting the young trees with tree protectors. Students also monitored the birdlife in the area which will be repeated over the years to come to show OGHS is improving the area. It was a wonderful day so thank you to all the student volunteers who have worked to establish a section of the Town Belt as a native area and to Mr Richards for being the taxi driver. We look forward to the next planting session! We are always looking for new Plant Club members to work in the glasshouse and propagation shed, which are also great volunteer hours, so please email Mrs Beaman for details be@otaogirls.school.nz