Makikihi School pupils have become the first to plant trees as part of a schools planting programme at Bushtown Heritage Park in Waimate
Bushtown Waimate is establishing the park as a tourist attraction, based on the Waimate district's pioneer timber industry.
Bushtown Waimate chairman Allan Laurie told the children that if they returned to the heritage park in 30 or 40 years, they would see a forest, two sawmills in operation, an education centre and "all sorts of paraphernalia" about sawmilling.
As well as the native trees, the children also planted "a very special" totara tree which would have a plaque and also GPS co-ordinates.
