Planting season at Waiwhakareke
Plants are top priority this winter when it comes to the team working at Waiwhakareke.
The Natural Heritage Park opposite Hamilton Zoo is calling on volunteers to get their hands dirty over four months.
Friends of Waiwhakareke Potting Group co-ordinator Catherine Smith said ideally 15-20 volunteers were needed.
They would assist in planting either enrichment plants or infill plants on the site.
It’s a 500-year project that has potential to grow for generations, Smith said.
‘‘I’ll tell you what’s really rewarding is to see the school children coming out on Arbor Day and talking to them about the future of the park and what they are going to inherit.’’
Smith has been involved with planting at Waiwhakareke since 2004.
She prepares plants at the nursery run from Mystery Creek.
‘‘All of the plants are ecosourced which means they come from seed from the Hamilton ecological district.
‘‘It’s really important that the genetic diversity at Waiwhakareke represents what used to be there.’’
Smith has seen fantastic progress at the heritage park and said our region’s climate was good for growing this particular group of plants.
‘‘We are so very lucky that we have the climate we have in Hamilton. It makes all the difference. We’ve never had to consider anything other than putting them in the ground.’’
Submissions for the Hamilton Zoo Master Plan close tomorrow, and a proposal included in the plan is connecting the zoo with Waiwhakareke.
Smith said the link is something they would love to see developed, and while Waiwhakareke is not yet open to the public, project partners Tui 2000, Waikato Uni- versity, Hamilton City Council and Wintec want to see it open as soon as possible.
‘‘We would like it opened tomorrow. That is really a subject that is very close to the heart of Tui 2000. We feel that just as the Hamilton Gardens flourished, so too that will happen with Waiwhakareke.
‘‘The sooner it’s open the better.’’
Join the team on the last Saturday of each month starting on May 27, 9am-noon. Bring your gumboots, spade and morning tea, and phone Catherine for further information: 07 855 8296.