Children get hands-on with the environment at Waimumu

Having earnt three 2020 Ballance Farm Environment Awards, Chris and Desiree purchased their property seven years ago, with some big goals in their long-term vision.

The couple, who have farmed from Northland to Southland, have varied backgrounds including Chris working on a vineyard, and relief teaching in England during his gap year. Meanwhile Desiree has worked for the Primary ITO (Industry Training Organisation) and Dairy NZ.

However, the merging of education and farming has always been a bit of a dream and the Waimumu Downs project is seeing that finally become a reality.

As a member of the Gore Catchment Group, Chris is a strong supporter of the Enviroschools programme and would like to see all the schools in Eastern Southland be part of the programme.

With their two children, Danielle (9) and Andrew (7), Chris and Desiree understand the value in having young people learning about water and land and how our environment is connected.

Launching the project was a joint effort, with many of the plants supplied by the Hokonui Rūnanga, while Environment Southland’s education team coordinated the learning activities on the day. The Gore Catchment Group played an important role, sorting a barbecue lunch for all participants.

“It was really neat to see all the children coming into the place, then doing things like racing the boats they had created from sticks and flax and getting into the bush.”

Although the weather provided some hurdles in the lead-up to the week of activities, the sun shone to create a near-perfect environment and to be fair, Chris has some pretty good insight into the forecasts.

“There’s a Metservice weather station on the property so that’s helpful, but I still can’t order up the weather.”

With a number of other agencies, including Plant and Food Research and Wrightson Seeds, also on site, the property lends itself to trying new things and Chris has many ideas for the future.

“I love scheming and coming up with new ideas – and our farm is so close to town that it easily lends itself to being used for community initiatives,” Chris says.

Hokonui Rūnanga spokesperson Jo Brand says the Waimumu Downs project is a concept the community has been requesting for some time but the vision and ability to deliver a completed experience is the part that not all ideas get to.

“We are rapt to support the mahi of Chris and Desiree and their whānau, Megan and the Enviroschools team and our own representative Rodney Trainor. Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri, ā muri ake nei – For us and our children after us.”