Last weekend saw a flurry of activity at Project Rameka as over 70 people headed up the hill to plant trees. Our aim was to join the global 350 movement (see 350.org) and plant 350 trees a day for three days in a row.
The plan went awry before the first tree was in the ground because of generous last-minute donations of trees. All of a sudden we had 1250 plants!
The first 350 went in on Friday morning with the help of 30 Motupipi Primary School kids, 10 teachers and parents, 10 teenagers from Golden Bay High School, and a few Wellingtonians. Wahoo! What a crazy whirlwind of activity. We were stunned by lunchtime.
350 Trees going in the ground, with plant guards.
350 trees planted and ready to absorb Co2.
In the afternoon, Phil Castle turned up with a van-load of flaxes, and the Golden Bay High School troopers continued planting, so another 220 plants nestled their way into their new homes.
Patrick, Phil and Jonathan in action.
On Saturday, the planting procession was a little more orderly. 18 determined vollies managed to liberate 500 trees into the carbon sink. Thanks that day to Patrick, Corina, Fill, Albie, Chris, Jeff, Andrew, Simon, Karyn, Brent, James, Marie, Martin, Derry, Paul, Ginny, Bronnie and Jonathan. Matt was there too, roaming the Project for a few nights, shooting anything that might try to eat the lovely new seedlings.
Fill’s famous hearty soup and homemade bread. No wonder we planted so many trees.
On Sunday, the forecast was terrible, but Andrew, Ginny, Patrick, Bronnie and Jonathan managed to home the remaining trees before the heavens opened. And what a storm it was! The following day we checked all the plants and fixed any wayward plant guards. Now it’s all over to photosynthesis.