Latest highlights:
First Community Planting Day successful
AGM election results
Second Community Planting Day coming up – 6th July
Reconnecting Northland helps us out again
Matakohe School do it again at Ruatuna
NRC weeds workshop reminder
Givealittle page reminder
First Community Planting Day successful
Over twenty people turned up for our first community planting day of the season earlier this month at the White Rock Hills property, Marohemo. Our hosts Bryce & Aneta, Peter & Prue were really pleased to ‘join the dots’ between last year’s plantings. We estimate about 1,500 plants went in the ground that day, and Bryce and Aneta have succeeded in getting another 500 in since. It was really nice having our mayor Greg Gent along, and he certainly did his fair share of the digging.
AGM election results
We have also had our AGM since the last Update – which reminds me of what Groucho Marx once said: Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana. Just saying…
Anyway, Ashley Cullen is still our chairman, I am still the Secretary, and Bruce Lydiard has replaced Loraine Rowlands as Treasurer. New members on the committee are Richard Smeeton and Colin Wrennall, joining Jacque Knight, Sarah Kenworthy-Thompson, Graham Taylor and Rex Roadley. Thanks to Loraine for her contribution to the committee over the last couple of years in particular.
Second Community Planting Day coming up – 6th July
Paparoa School has been provided with 500 trees courtesy of the NRC’s Enviroschools programme, and are going to plant them alongside the stream which runs behind the school and down to the village. They could really use some help with getting holes dug, so if you aren’t already a parent or grandparent of a current pupil, don’t let that hold you back – do come along as a member of the local community and get involved. I assure you it will be a rewarding experience, and you might get to meet some new people. I will be there, and will have some spare spades if you don’t have anything suitable. Best you ring the school beforehand (431 7379) if you are intending to take part, so they can put their plans together accordingly.
Starts at 9 am.
Reconnecting Northland helps us out again
Every year since our inception we have been helped out by Reconnecting Northland, mostly in the form of trees and labour to plant them. This year was the same but more so – in addition to some money for fencing, and some vehicle running for me, they came up with 5,000 trees and labour to plant 10,000 trees. As of Wednesday afternoon the tally is at 6,500 for the week, so we are on track to complete the 10,000 by Friday. That’s just four young guys doing a great job for us. I have posted a couple of photos on our Facebook page if you want to check them out.
Matakohe School do it again at Ruatuna
At the same time as the planting gang were getting 2,000 trees in the ground at Marohemo, the Years 7and 8 pupils from Matakohe School were busying themselves with planting out at Ruatuna. It was something of a homecoming for the cabbage tree plants, as they had been grown from seed collected from the property and propagated by Roger Taylor, one of our long-time supporters. It was Roger who carried the flag for us on the day and made sure everything ran smoothly. Of course, just like last year these young people had the opportunity of a guided tour through the homestead, birthplace of New Zealand’s first NZ-born Prime Minister (as if you didn’t already know…). Thanks Mary.
This is the fourth year that Matakohe School has been involved in our planting programme, and long may it continue. Special thanks too must go to Roger for his ongoing help and support.
NRC weeds workshop reminder
There is a weeds workshop in Paparoa being run by Sara Brill from NRC July 24th 1-4 pm at the Memorial Hall. Register with her if you are coming along at SaraB@nrc.govt.nz as she needs to know numbers to go ahead. I went to one a couple of years ago, and learned a lot. If you have any queries about existing weed problems you might have, this will be a good chance to get them sorted. Sara knows her stuff!
Givealittle page reminder
We now have a Givealittle page. With the patience and persistence of the good people at Givealittle we now have a convenient way for people to support our cause financially. It will be a space for people to check out what we are up to without going onto Facebook. Check it out at https://givealittle.co.nz/org/otamateaharbourcare