Encouraging meaningful connection with nature.
Thanks to the mahi of Growing Places Charitable Trust, Wellington’s public spaces, schools and transport corridors are alive with the beauty of nature. The inner city’s Tokyo Lane is abloom, while over 7,000 plants are growing beneath Transpower’s Takapū Valley transmission lines, and native shrubs are being planted to line our region’s railway lines.
St Francis Xavier School students taking part in a KETE planting project.
Established in 2013 by DOC Senior Policy Advisor, Paula Warren, the Trust has a kaupapa to engage the community and facilitate projects to make our public spaces beautiful, reduce public land management problems, and deliver positive ecological outcomes.
“We’re the connectors,” says Trustee, Elspeth McMillan. “It’s our job to get people to come together to get stuff done!” So far, the Trust has worked with iwi, city councils, schools, corporates and environment groups, such as Friends of Tawa Bush Reserve, Pest Free Tawa and Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira on projects across Te Upoko-o-te-Ika-a-Maui, the Greater Wellington region.
Inspiring a love of nature
To foster an early interest in nature, the Trust has been a foundation stakeholder of KETE – Kids Enhancing Tawa Ecosystems in 2022. In collaboration with local schools, student-led KETE engages students from all the 8 Tawa schools in a range of interest-based environmental projects, from litter and pest management to stream monitoring and planting.
“For some children, it may be the first time they pull on gumboots, or hold a worm, or plant a seedling in the soil,” says Elspeth. It is Growing Places’ hope that these simple interactions will spark a lifelong interest in the natural world and provide an understanding of the role the students can play in conservation.
“We notice a lot of concern about climate change in school students these days,” says Elspeth. “Many are passionate about making a difference but as it’s such a big problem, it’s hard to feel like you can contribute.” Through KETE, Growing Places are providing students with small, positive and important steps of action to inspire a sense of guardianship.
For Elspeth, who became involved in Growing Places last year, taking her love of gardening out of the backyard and into the community, the most rewarding part is observing the pride that comes with taking part in each project. “The kids love showing off their plants to their parents and coming back to see them as they grow and bloom” says Elspeth.
Amanda Dobson from Enviroschools explains Porirua catchment programme to KETE students,
Supporting people; the thing that makes it all happen!
As a small team with big goals (this year, they hope to engage more than 1000 children in a community revegetation project through KETE) having the right people involved to keep the cogs turning is crucial. “There are a lot of moving parts with what we do,” says Elspeth, “without someone dedicated to keeping everything running, everything would fall over.”
In 2022, Growing Places Charitable Trust sought funding to support the salary of their Programme Coordinator. Acting as an essential go-between for key stakeholders, community groups, students, teachers and environmental education providers, this role ensures the Trust can continue to grow, work successfully with the community, bring nature into public spaces and sow the seed for a lifelong love of nature.
Nikau Foundation was delighted to assist, providing a grant from the Pegasus Fund and Richard and Doreen Evans Charitable Trust.
