On 2 September, Tasman Bay Guardians joined Tasman District Council and agriculture students from Waimea College for a day of learning and planting at Challies Farm.
The farm has been in the Challies family for generations. Ed shared the family’s connection to the land and their commitment to improving its environmental health. Part of the farm is now leased for dairy farming, making the visit a valuable opportunity for students to see how farming and restoration can work alongside each other.
The group spent time learning about wetlands, the ecology of the Waimea catchment and the importance of Pearl Creek which is a spring fed waterway. Pearl Creek is a significant freshwater habitat for the Waimea Inlet, and an īnanga spawning site. Giant kōkopu also live in the area, giving the students another reason to think about the value of healthy waterways and how farm run off can be reduced.
From there, it was time to get hands in the soil. Planting beside a waterway is work whose benefits grow over time: streamside plants can help shelter fish habitat, shade the water and provide places for other wildlife to live. The students could see how the work they did on one day fits into the longer task of caring for Pearl Creek and the wider catchment.
That wider connection matters. The Waimea Inlet supports many bird species, and the health of the streams and wetlands around it is part of caring for the environment from the land to the sea. For these future farmers, the day brought those connections out of the classroom and into a place where land use, freshwater and wildlife meet.
A big thank you to Prashanti and Heath from Tasman District Council for sharing their knowledge, leading the planting and keeping everyone safe. Ngā mihi also to Ed and the Challies family for welcoming the students and sharing their story. And well done to the Waimea College students for getting stuck in and helping give the land a little more life.
