A group of Year 7 and 8 students recently teamed up with Karen Bradfield and Jim and Jane Young to plant red tussocks and some native trees on site at school as part of the Owaka and District Schools' 150th Jubilee. The planting is part of a larger project to establish an arboretum featuring trees that represent the different schools within the Catlins district over the last 150 years

The students have embraced the term focus of Change, by using their efforts to positively impact their community and embody the principle of Kaitiakitanga. Kaitiakitanga, refers to guardianship and protection of the environment.

This tree-planting event took place just before the students’ native nursery trip, when they had the chance to learn more about plants, how to care for them, and how to use their knowledge to make change in their environment.