Battle against invasive weeds
The Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park has come a long way.
Hamilton City Council bought the land, near Horseshoe Lake and Hamilton Zoo, in 1975.
This reconstructed forest project is the result of a strong partnership between Waikato University, Wintec, Tui 2000 and Hamilton City Council.
Over a decade of planting is paying dividends.
We are now noticing many selfsown native species and are encouraged that the plantings have regenerating potential.
Regular Working Bees, which are held the last Saturday of every month, February through to November, Arbor Day plantings as well as open days, draw people from all walks of life and all age groups together.
Groups from Wintec and other organisations also help.
In all, this year we have planted more than 4500 enrichment and infill plants as well as over 7000 planted on Arbor Day.
Weed control is important in these developmental stages.
We hope people will volunteer during weekdays over the summer.
The thousands of plants from this year’s and earlier years’ Arbor Day planting are particu- larly vulnerable from invasive weeds.
A restiad bog dome created near the lake is also in the formative stage, comprising two species of native plants that create the peat dome and needs to be weeded from time to time.
Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park is managed by the Hamilton City Council’s Parks and Open Spaces Unit.
Tui 2000 co-ordinates the thousands of Friends of Waiwhakareke volunteer hours spent in planting and weeding at Waiwhakareke and potting at our nursery at Mystery Creek.
To get involved or to know more, contact Stephanie at shammond7@gmail.com for working bees at Waiwhakareke, and Catherine at blchsmiths@gmail.com to help out at our nursery at Mystery Creek.
For more information, see our Facebook page.