The Thames-Coromandel District Council says Pauanui will host the next planting in its New Zealand World War One Memorial Forest project.

The Tangitarori Lane section of the forest commemorates the Sinai-Palestine campaign in which 640 New Zealand soldiers were killed. The plantings will take place on September 5, at 11am.

The next New Zealand World War One Memorial Forest project planting will take place in Paunaui on September 5. Pictured: Whangamata Area School students, from left: Ashleigh Crofskey-Howse and Summer Cunningham, with Whangamata RSA members Cathey Stolte, Graham Gerrard, Robert Carr and President Geoff March during the Whangamata planting held in July. Photo: TCDC. Photo: File

Students from Hikuai School will help plant two signature pohutukawa trees, plus four kauri to honour four local men who fell in the campaign.

It is hoped a total of 200 native trees will be planted before summer at the site next to the Tairua River estuary, which is– council reserve at the end of Tangitarori Lane's long, straight section.

Tairua-Pauanui Community Board member Kim Coppersmith says the remainder of the trees, to bring the total up to 640, will be planted over the next few years.

'It's an amazing community project that will recognise the men who died and regenerate the area in native trees.

The new Pauanui-Tairua trail passes the site and walkers and joggers will have a place to pause and reflect.

As part of the WWI Memorial Forest project, there are 10 different sites across the Coromandel commemorating different battles or aspects of the war.

The forest project is an initiative of the Thames-Coromandel District Council and supported by the Hikuai District Trust, RSAs, schools, service clubs, iwi, community groups, the Department of Conservation, Wintec and Waikato Regional Council.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry at the Cathedral Cove planting on June 5. Photo: File

THE PLANTINGS SO FAR:

Thames: A total of 249 trees were planted on August 11 to represent that number of Thames men who were killed.

Whangamata: A Council reserve has been renamed Le Quesnoy Park, to commemorate the 1918 battle of that name. There will be a special ceremony on the November 4 anniversary of the battle.

Coromandel Town: The first 100 totara and kahikatea trees of an eventual 1000 were planted on 31 July. The site at Hauraki Road represents Supreme Sacrifice.

Cathedral Cove: This site represents Gallipoli, where 2,779 New Zealanders were killed. The Memorial Forest was officially launched on Arbour Day, June 5, by Conservation Minister Maggie Barry, with the planting of 100 trees at the site.

WANT TO BE INVOLVED?

The Thames-Coromandel District Council is asking people to 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 several ways to donate, either by dedicating a tree to a specific New Zealand soldier killed in the war, or by dedicating a tree to the ‘unknown soldier'.

By doing so you will receive a memorial certificate that includes the GPS co-ordinates of the tree you've donated.

People can also gift a tree on behalf of their 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.

There are also plenty of opportunities to get involved, and if interested contact Economic Development Programme Manager Ben Dunbar-Smith on 07-868-0200 or email: [email protected]

To donate a tree visit the Thames-Coromandel District Council's website at: www.tcdc.govt.nz/donatetree or for more information visit: www.tcdc.govt.nz/ww1memorialforest