Kia ora all!

After a much needed day of rest on Sunday, we got right back into the swing of things today. We started the day with a lecture on the principles involved in ecological restoration from Dr. Meurk at Landcare Research. He espoused to us the ideals that restoration, especially in a heavily modified area like Canterbury, must be slow and steady, creating islands of biodiversity that eventually will grow into interconnected plots of land incorporated into the built environment.

The group then hopped into the Gator Waka (our newly named van) and headed to the Waipara Valley, Canterbury's largest wine growing area. There we met a farmer named Darryl, and the Hurunui District's Biodiversity Ambassador, Dale. They talked to us about the growing program called "Greening Waipara," a voluntary cooperative effort between farmers, Lincoln University, the Hurunui District, Landcare Research, and others. "Greening Waipara" intends to reestablish areas of native biodiversity in Waipara Valley, and seeks to educate farmers about the benefits of preserving or planting native vegetation on their land.

All that talking about restoration left us wanting to do our part, and we got the opportunity to do so by planting some native trees at a school nearby.To me, planting a tree is a way for me to feel as if my tiny self can leave a bigger mark on the world, because I know that one day that little sapling I planted in 2010 will grow to become a large tree that will hopefully outlive me. And in some small way, I will live on in that tree.

After the planting, some of us tasted some wine at the Waipara Springs winery, while the rest of us sat in the warmth of the cafe's heater, chatting and reflecting on a wonderful day.

-David