The first anniversary of the death of school principal and Bay of Plenty Regional Councillor Hawea Vercoe is being marked on Monday with the blessing of a memorial garden and launch of a floating wetland at Lake Rotoiti.

A wetland on Lake Rotoiti is being launched on Monday in memorial for Hawea Vercoe.

Hawea was killed in an incident in Whakatane on November 22 last year. A father of six, Hawea was principal of Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rotoiti and an elected member of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council for the Okurei Maori constituency.

The Monday memorial begins with a powhiri at the school, followed by the unveiling and blessing of the memorial garden.

The floating wetland, a construction which provides habitat for wildlife and assists with filtering pollution from waterways, will be launched from Lake Rotoiti east following the powhiri and waka will tow it to its anchor site.

Acting Principal of Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rotoiti Tammy Gardiner says Hawea was a very important, valued and treasured member of the school and community.

'We have decided that we would like to refrain from remembering this day as the day that we lost him and remember the day as a tribute to the man who contributed so much to our Kura and community,” says Tammy.

'One of Hawea's aspirations was to initiate a floating wetland for Lake Rotoiti.

'He was extremely passionate about the health of the lake, and instilled into our children the same enthusiasm as future Kaitiaki of our mana whenua and mana moana. 'Unfortunately he was taken from us before the dream could be fulfilled,” she said.

Staff and children of Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rotoiti had been working on a remembrance garden called Te Mara Manawanui, which will be unveiled and blessed on the day.

'We are incorporating a tribute to Hawea Vercoe and his contribution to the local environment, to our Kura and to the wider community.”

Regional Council Chairman John Cronin says the council's involvement in the memorial event reinforced its ongoing commitment to local community and schools.

'We encourage students taking action for the environment. Students are actively involved in the restoration and preservation of Lake Rotoiti. The lake is widely used by the school, the local community and a wide number of boaties and visitors.

'This project has involved much collaboration between us and both the Kura and local iwi, as well as the Te Arawa Lakes Trust.”

The initial wetland had grown as the project progressed from 14sqm to about 70sqm. Input had been from a wide range of people within the Kura, the regional council, Kauri Park, Te Arawa Lakes Trust and others, and an educational resource unit for teachers was also being written about the floating wetland project.

Three schools from around Lake Rotoiti –Te Wharekura o Rongomai, Rotoma School and Te Kura o Whangamarino – have been invited to take part in the remembrance day.