Planting day involves community
The Uretara Estuary Managers held a community planting day at Rod and MaryAnne Calver’s property on July 21 adjacent to the Tahawai Stream.
The 2018 planting comprised Stage 2 of this project.
The project is a joint venture with landowners Rod and MaryAnne Calver and Uretara Estuary Managers Inc and is supported by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the crowdfunding platform, Million Metres. Million Metres is a project led by the Sustainable Business Network, in partnership with the Department of Conservation and is on a mission to restore one million metres (literally) of streams throughout the country. The project works to restore rivers by supporting landowners and communities’ groups to plan, fund and plant their local stream.
The fine, mild day enabled this year’s 32 volunteers to roll up their sleeves and enjoy helping with planting 3500 native shrubs and trees along the streambank of the Tahawai Stream, down stream from the 2017, Stage 1 planting.
UEM chairman Lawrie Donald said last year their major Million Metres sponsor was ALSCO from Tauranga.
“The Million Metres connection was strong again this year with the Landscape and Design firm ‘Zones’, a supporter of the Million Metres programme, making up about a third of our volunteers.”
Once planting was finished, a demonstration on stream monitoring and stream life was provided mid morning by Paul Woodard (Afishionardo) and Andrew Jenks from Wild About NZ.
Tauranga Zones Landscaping Specialist Nichola Vague said it was great to be part of the volunteer group that helped out on the day.
“The planting was well organised by UEM and we enjoyed a morning planting a variety of shrubs and trees including mahoe, manuka, kanuka, sedge and rimu. The plants were locally sourced and grown by UEM, which meant they will have a greater chance of surviving local conditions,” she said.
The volunteers from Zones were lucky to have the benefit of being able to learn about our endemic longfin eel species that live in the stream.
“Improving the stream margins means that we are helping to improve the eels habitat and help with maintaining their species numbers.
“The kids loved the chance to catch and release a few eels as well!”
This is a feel-good initiative that locals are excited to get behind with the stream planting day taking place on private land, where both the landowner and community shared an interest in bringing life back to the stream, Nichola said.
Nigel Ramsden, also from Zones Landscaping, said, “It is very rewarding being able to help these incredibly important ecosystems. Trees and bushes around the streams are very important. In the summer they give shade, which keeps the exposed rocks cool. If the rocks get hot it increases the stream temperature, causing the fish to die.”
Lawrie said it was great to have five children attend, aged 5 to 12 years, who were interested in what was caught in the stream and had much fun with ‘pooh stick’ races, accompanied by a continuous noisy race commentary.
At the end of the activities, volunteers were treated to a sumptuous lunch, provided by UEM catering volunteers and chef, Rod Calver, showing his barbecue skills at the ‘picnic spot’.
“This shared meal and friendship, was truly a lovely way to finish the day.
“A big thank you to all volunteers who assisted . . . a great job, well done!”
The longer term objectives or outcomes of this type of work are to improve water quality and decrease water temperature in streams that discharge to the Uretara Estuary and ultimately the Tauranga Harbour.