New Zealand teacher and students turn coastal paddock into native habitat

AI Summary

A retired teacher and students at Buller High School in New Zealand have collaboratively restored native vegetation on coastal paddocks, converting grassland into thriving habitats for wildlife including birds, seals, and lizards. This long-term environmental project has involved thousands of plantings since 1997, benefiting local biodiversity.

Retired teacher Janet Pottinger spent 29 years helping Buller High School students restore native vegetation at Tauranga Bay and Cape Foulwind in New Zealand. Since 1997, around 2,800 students have planted 12,425 native plants across 108 trips. The project has transformed former grassland into habitat supporting birds, seals, lizards and other native wildlife.