Ruapehu Parish rehabilitates wetland in community effort

Originally published in Anglican Movement, Diocese of Wellington. Additional details and photos from Rev Alison Seifert, Ruapehu Anglicans.

Ruapehu Anglican Parish hosted a successful community working bee, transforming a wetland area adjacent to St. Mary’s Hall on Seddon Street in Raetihi. The initiative, aimed at rehabilitating the local environment, brought together 20 volunteers, including students from Ohakune Primary School’s William Pike Challenge programme.

Priest in Charge at St. Mary’s, Reverend Alison Seifert, emphasised the significance of the project. “This effort is not just about cleaning up a wetland. It’s about responding to the call for care of creation, which is a crucial aspect of our faith”.

“As part of the global church’s Season of Creation, we felt it was essential to act locally to address the environmental challenges we all face,” Alison said. During the working bee, volunteers planted 100 native plants, removed invasive flag irises, and cleared a trailer load of rubbish from the site.

“We've wanted to do something with our paddock for about 7 years and decided on planting some of the wetter areas. We received a grant from Horizons for the plants which were purchased from Carina McNie; a local lady who has a native plant nursery. Long term our dream is to plant natives at the wetter rear of the paddock. I would really like to acknowledge Jane Sherrit, my vicar’s warden who took on the planting project when I was recovering from surgery. She has been an important link with Ohakune Primary School and the students who assisted with the planting.”

“The students and community members who participated worked incredibly hard, getting very muddy in the process, but their dedication has transformed the paddock into a rejuvenated space,” Alison added. The parish expressed gratitude to the students, affectionately known as the “Pikelets,” for their enthusiastic participation.

The event aligns with the Diocese’s broader goal of taking tangible steps to mitigate climate change and engage with the community.

“The Season of Creation reminds us of the interconnectedness of all life and our responsibility to steward the earth’s resources wisely,” Alison noted. “This project is a small but important part of that mission.”