Hold the shovels

Hamilton City Council is justifiably euphoric over the possibility of receiving a substantial amount of government ‘‘shovel ready’’ money to rejuvenate five gully networks in our city, which could boost indigenous wildlife. However, a key focus on enhancing peoples access with board walks, concrete paths, signs and park furniture, all done in three to four years, is somewhat concerning.

I would like to point out that Hamilton City Council, Department of Parks and Open Spaces has not yet achieved one successful restoration project in the city, so experience within the department is limited. Waiwhakareke was instigated and planned by Bruce Clarkson in conjunction with the University of Waikato. The funding of the plants was done by Tui 2000. The success of this project must go to these two organisations.

There are seven other volunteer groups that work to restore their part of the gully system in Hamilton. These groups have had limited support, and are often frustrated by, the Department of Parks and Open Spaces.

Restoration is a delicate balance between clearing weeds and replanting native cover in a way that protects the existing native fauna species, many of which have a tenuous existence in both our land and stream ecosystems. Mass clearing could well destroy what is present and potentially cause local extinctions.

The approach to a restoration of this magnitude, would be to plan it over a ten-year period doing small sections at a time within each gully system so our biodiversity could transition from a weed infested area into a restored area in a controlled manner. This would also enable a sustainable maintenance programme to be developed and embedded into the programme.

When a gully is restored, council could then think about spending money on board walks, concrete paths and park furniture.

Rex Bushell, Hamilton