An Aongatete forest walking track will be transformed into an interactive nature trail with 30 beautiful interactive panels being installed.

The most frequent users of the trail are expected to be young people who attend camps at the Education Centre each year.

The thought of running into a real weta is an added thrill for 11-year-old Chloe Boyt of Matua as she tries out the new Aongatete Forest Nature Trail.

The panels found along the trail display information on forest ecology, trees, insects, birds and much more. There is a separate trail covering plants associated with Rongoa (Maori traditional medicine).

'Walking the trail you get a deeper understanding of the forest, and the incredible biodiversity it contains,” says project manager Keith Pyle.

The signs are just the beginning of what is hoped to be a bigger project in the forest, including a resource kit and activity guide.

'The kit will describe activities at a number of checkpoints along the trail, and elements of this could be a ‘self-guide' to the trail. Initially this would be in printed format but ultimately we'd like it to be available in digital format for use with devices such as iPads,” says Keith.

The funding of the trail to date has come from the Department of Conservation, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and the Lion Foundation.

The official trail opening will be at the Education Centre 834 Wright Road 3pm Tuesday September 13 by Western Bay of Plenty Deputy Mayor Gwenda Merriman.