Hope School was bustling with activity as they planted around 400 trees at Busch Reserve in the Aniseed Valley last month.
The children were transported by a bus generously provided by the Tasman Environmental Trust. The Tasman District Council supplied the trees, protective guards, and additional assistance.
Last year the school planted 500 native trees at Busch Reserve, and this year many of the children were thrilled to observe the progress of their previous planting efforts, marvelling at how much the trees had grown.
“Hope School has a longstanding connection with the valley; in fact, some of our parents were involved in planting trees and bushes at Twin Bridges Reserve. Many of our students come from this valley, so it’s wonderful to be able to come up and spend time outdoors planting,” Katie Grinsted, a teacher at Hope School, says.
Keita Withington, a parent, fondly remembers planting trees at Twin Bridges during her time at Hope School in the early ‘90s. Now, two of her daughters are participating in the Busch Reserve planting initiatives.
“It’s neat the school can be part of multi-generational plantings. We live up the valley and drive past those trees displaying stunning colours daily,” Keita explains.
“I didn’t fully appreciate the importance of those plantings back then as much as I do now, seeing my own kids do their plantings.”
Hope School dedicates each Friday to Mātai Taiao.
This innovative initiative is Hope Schools response to feedback from our parent community, emphasizing the importance of nature-based education, fostering inclusivity and growing student strengths.
The day has a Tuakana-Teina approach with all tamariki from five to eleven working together.
Mātai Taiao involves student directed exploration and learning in nature, an outdoor project-based activity, cooking and gardening through the Garden to Table Programme, and local pūrakau (legends).
“Planting trees at Busch Reserve ties in with that by providing valuable learning opportunities with practical skills and local knowledge, enriching the educational experience for all involved,” Katie says.
