Horowhenua StarStudents, farmers, and community members came together on the banks of the Foxton River Loop last week to restore the Piriharakeke Walkway, planting 425 native trees.
The Junior Landcare event was coordinated by NZ Landcare Trust (NZLT) in partnership with the Save Our River Trust (Sort) and the Foxton Community Board, one of 10 legacy projects throughout New Zealand designed to connect people of all ages with nature, promote mental and physical wellbeing, and strengthen intergenerational community connections.
Students from Manawatū College, Poroutawhao Kura, and Coley Street School worked alongside community volunteers and local organisations, including Horizons Enviroschools, MPI On Farm Support, and the Manawatū River Catchments Collective (MRCC).
The planting followed a community weeding bee two weeks earlier to prepare the site for restoration, with attendees learning about the importance of riparian planting, water quality, and local ecology.
“It’s incredible to see our young people, farmers, and community groups working side by side to restore the health of our river,” said NZLT coordinator Tania Bramley. “These moments build lasting connections, between people, land, and water, and demonstrate what’s possible when we come together with a shared purpose.”
Save Our River Trust has been dedicated to restoring and conserving Piriharakeke, the Manawatū River Loop at Foxton, for more than 20 years.
Sort, a community-led initiative grounded in collective action and mātauranga Māori, was formed in response to the environmental degradation caused by earthworks in 1943 that altered the natural course of the Manawatū River.
It is committed to reviving the mauri of the awa and nurture the connection between the Te Awahou community and its waterways.
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