A local nature school has been left reeling after its all-weather learning shelter was deliberately cut down with a chainsaw last week.
The shelter, tucked away about 100 metres from the road on private land near Motueka, is the heart of Natural Connections Nature School. Built entirely with donated materials and volunteer labour last year, it gives children a place to gather, cook over fire, shelter from rain and summer sun, and learn outdoors in every season.
Sometime overnight last Thursday, someone entered the property and systematically cut through the shelter's four support posts, bringing the entire structure crashing down.
For founder and teacher Anna Ormandy, the damage has felt deeply personal. "It feels like such a violation," she says. Staff member Garrick Ferguson had a simple message: “I’d like the people to consider the impact their actions are having on the individuals and community they have acted out on.”
The school operates four days a week from land leased from Riverside Community, which supports the nature school and has offered assistance following the incident.
The nature school provides both homeschooled and mainstream students with opportunities to learn outdoors year-round. Bush exploration, environmental learning and regular excursions form part of the curriculum.
Anna reported the incident to police but was disappointed to learn the matter would not be investigated.
"It's quite an aggressive attack on an education facility on private land," she says.
The vandalism initially left Anna wondering what could be done. By Saturday morning, that question had already been answered.
Staff and friends arrived with tools to dismantle the damaged structure, while many families offered their support to rebuild the shelter this coming weekend.
Anna is determined one person's actions will not define the community.
The shelter will be rebuilt, although not without a cost. It will take close to 20 hours of volunteer labour and hundreds of dollars in replacement materials.
Anyone wishing to contribute towards the rebuild can contact Anna at naturenurturenz@gmail.com.
