Nurturing nature across local communities
The Junior Landcare programme is geared towards helping young people build a connection with their local environment. Photo: Supplied.
An initiative geared to link children and families to nature is helping boost mental health and wellbeing.
The Junior Landcare programme aims to encourage more youngsters to enjoy the benefits of nature.
As part of the programme, members of the Grovetown Lagoon Restoration Project are inviting the public to join their community planting day on Sunday 14 July.
“This year we are excited to be teaming up with Grovetown Lagoon and Koru Wildlife Centre”, says NZ Landcare Trust Marlborough coordinator Wendy Sullivan.
The three-year programme provides opportunities for young people to actively contribute to environmental solutions through a series of nature regeneration projects.
“Part of the focus of Junior Landcare is that being in nature and giving back to nature makes us feel good,” Wendy says.
“Science has also shown that spending time in nature has been found to help with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.”
Grovetown Lagoon’s Wetland Warrior volunteers have been busy preparing a new site for planting.
The site was previously choked with woody weeds and old man’s beard and littered with decade old rubbish.
It’s a “massive task” says Project Coordinator Justine Johnson.
“Replanting this site with trees such as kahikatea and totara will help to restore a small remnant of bush and wetland on the Wairau Plains.
“It’s a massive task so having the community assist in planting means a lot to our hard-working volunteers.”
A key partner in Junior Landcare is Enviroschools, who are assisting in organising the Junior Wetland Warriors.
Tuamarina and Waikawa Bay schools were the first to take up this programme, spending time with Grovetown Lagoon’s Wetland Warrior volunteers.
Pupils have been planting alongside the lagoon and learning about wetlands.
They then visited nearby Koru Wildlife Centre to see and learn about some of Marlborough’s more endangered species, Wendy says.
Chief Executive of NZ Landcare Trust Dr Nick Edgar says the initiative helps young New Zealanders take action to protect the natural environment alongside their local communities.
“We have created a programme that goes beyond environmental conservation, extending positive impacts to the mental and physical wellbeing of participants, fostering a sense of purpose and connection to nature.
“Our team across Aotearoa love working with schools and young people to create a legacy for those who come after us,” he says.