Sustainability students leave their blooming mark at Ara

It’s been a case of watch this (high profile) space.  

Several weeks after the groundwork was done, a previously grassed site on Ara Institute of Canterbury’s City campus has transformed as hoped into a wildflower meadow. 

The project was started by Sustainability and Outdoor Education students Libby Tyrrell and Nia Harrison who studied ‘Global and Local Sustainability Challenges’ and how they can generate social action projects.  

The pair had to create a social action project as part of the Level 7 paper ‘Sustainable practices in a changing world.’ After a raft of research, they approached Ara management with an idea for biodiverse wildflower meadow.  

Other action projects undertaken by the class included Kai for Ara (partnered with Food For All charitable trust) which offered discounted vege boxes on campus and Crag Kaitiaki which encouraged climbers around Canterbury to clean off chalk marks left while climbing.  

“We wanted to explore the use of unused land and ‘extra’ space and how it could be used in a more beneficial way, other than monoculture which takes up precious habitat space for pollinators and other life,” Harrison said. 

“In short, our key idea was to do more for the planet by doing less or become more sustainable by stopping the interference with nature.” 

Ara’s gardening expert Ken Jackson was hugely supportive of the idea and suggested a location not far from the North Green, which was grassed, underutilised, close to a water source and well fenced. 

“I was immediately drawn to the project. I love the idea of the diversity and colour of a meadow.  While we have a lovely campus, a splash of colour on our quite neutral canvas is great,” Jackson said.  

Harrison said Ara’s Student Life team chipped in with the costs of seeds and fertiliser. 

“Because the soil here is not yet nutrient rich, we had to support the project with tilling, watering and fertiliser.  Over the years we hope the soil will recover.” 

A strong point of difference for this wildflower project is the blend of exotics with native species – there's even off-cut logs and tussocks in some shade to possibly attract lizards to the site. 

“I’m excited to have the interplay between grasses and the meadow flowers because it’s interesting and new. I don’t know if it's happening elsewhere at all, so the students are breaking new ground by doing that,” Jackson said. "Hopefully the tussocks will seed themselves in the meadow and we will see a true fusion.  I love the idea of fusion philosophically - it's kind of the story of Aotearoa, isn’t it?” he added. 

But above all else Jackson has enjoyed the contribution from ākonga.  Like last year’s planting of the Rongoā garden with species aligned with Māori health practices, the herbal tea and edible gardens elsewhere on campus – he welcomes input from the Ara community. 

“Having people invested and involved is, to my idea, brilliant. I really hope people feel at ease to do that and make suggestions because in the end the campus is theirs.” 

Jackson said it’s great to see kaimahi and ākonga enjoying the flowers in full bloom right now, but at the height of summer break it’ll be “knocked back” to reduce fire-risk. 

Having left their mark in 2024, Nia and Libby are due to graduate this month.  

As to next year – we’ll see what happens as nature takes its course.