Coromandel Area School students have joined with RSA members to launch the first plantings of the World War One memorial site for Coromandel.

On Thursday the schoolchildren enthusiastically helped plant more than 100 totara and kahikatea trees at the at Hauraki Road site, which are the first of some 1000 trees at the Hauraki Road site.

Coromandel Area School students, Chaelyn Croft (right) and Kaiya Kerrison standing with RSA president Ian Franklyn, councillor Tony Brljevich and RSA members Frank Mead and Kevin Stone at the Hauraki Road planting site.

This particular site will be home to the ‘Supreme Sacrifice' memorial forest and is on Thames-Coromandel District Council land, adjacent to the waste water treatment plant. The new plantings will act as a beautification project for the area.

Additionally, the children planted a host of companion plants such as smaller hebes and flaxes which they had grown themselves as part of an environmental education project.

Opening the ceremony, Coromandel-Colville Ward councillor Tony Brljevich who told the children the plantings were to remember soldiers who had selflessly given their lives for future generations.

'What we are planting here today is something living that will acknowledge those who died,” he said. 'Those who sacrificed in order to save the society we live in.”

The planting was attended by three classes from Coromandel Area School, with the students ranging from Year 3 to Year 6. Acting principal Mary Kedzlie describes the planting day 'absolutely fantastic”.

"It was great to see the schoolchildren, the community and the council all working together for the betterment of the environment.”

Coromandel RSA President Ian Franklyn says he was very impressed with the willingness of the students to participate in the project.

He says it is great that young people are keen to participate in remembering those soldiers who gave their lives more than 100 years ago.

'It's heart-warming to see all these young people out here today getting their hands in the earth to help grow a forest that will benefit their children and future generations.”

It is intended the remaining 900 trees will be planted on the site this season as part of a joint venture between the Thames-Coromandel District Council and the Waikato Regional Council.

Council is also working on the Memorial Forest project with schools, iwi, RSAs, service clubs, Wintec, community groups and agencies including the Department of Conservation.

The next World War One planting will be at Rhodes Park in Thames on August, 11.

GET INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT

The Thames-Coromandel District Council is asking people to please help the project by donating $100 to the cost of a tree, or by joining in on the plantings, or both. You can also choose to donate $150 and plant the tree yourself.

There are three ways to donate:

1. You can dedicate the tree to a specific NZ soldier who was killed in the war. That tree gets planted in the Memorial Forest site dedicated to that particular battle or campaign.
2. You can dedicate a tree to the "unknown soldier";
3. Or, you can gift a tree on behalf of your family without necessarily having a specific soldier in mind who was killed in the war. You'll receive a memorial certificate but no GPS location.

To learn how to donate visit the Thames-Coromandel District Council's website at: www.tcdc.govt.nz/ww1memorialforest

For other ways to get involved contact Economic Development Programme manager Ben Dunbar-Smith on 07-868-0200 or email: [email protected]