We have just completed a year in which there were many highlights.
Our core group of over 15 volunteers meets each Tuesday and have certainly made a difference to the Cambridge landscape by planting a record 9 423 plants (as at 10th November), mostly natives, along river bank tracks and in reserves and parks around town.
I must thank this group who are such active environmental enthusiasts and together have made our 21st year such an exceptional one. There were many highlights in 2012, and some are listed here:
- We celebrated our 21st birthday with a convivial lunch in July.
- Year 4 of the Lola Silcock Park project is a splendid addition to the parks and reserves of Cambridge. The park has been developed in memory of the Trust's founder and only life member, Lola Silcock, and this has been recognised by the placement of a stone and plaque in a memorial grove of kowhai at the south-east end. The wasteland eyesore of the past now looks vastly different after 4 years of work. It is still a park in progress but is already recognised as a peaceful recreational park of native trees, grasses and flax, with walking tracks, lawns, two picnic tables and 3 seats. It is becoming increasingly popular with walkers, joggers, families and dog walkers. In this year alone, a further 4 000 plants have been located here. Currently, the project has had more than $30 000 spent on it and the Cambridge Tree Trust acknowledges the generous support of the Waipa District council, Fonterra, Cambridge Rotary and Lions clubs, the Logan Campbell Trust, the George Marshall Trust, Paul Garland Contracting and local residents. This has enabled the regeneration of a precious riverbank location to make a park and has made the Waikato river more accessible to all. Looking forward to 2013, more heritage fruit trees, a wildflower section and increased depth of planting on bare banks are all considerations. A trial plot of wildflowers has already been sown near the Primary School's new playground.
- In 2012 we planted a record 9423 plants, and this is the result of the passion and enthusiasm of an increasingly large core group of members who meet each Tuesday at the Thornton Rd. nursery to plant, weed and pot-on thousands of plants. Our record attendance has been 28, and in 3 hours a huge amount can be done by such a number, but it does test the organisational skills of the Chairman.
It has been a pleasure this year to have 5 or 6 senior students from Cambridge High School assist regularly. We have also been indebted to the support from local nurseries like Anntons, Cambridge Forest and Native Nursery and Hoffmans, who have been very supportive of the Tree Trust's work and have provided at low cost, many native trees, shrubs, grasses and flaxes which have been potted-on until being planted out at 3 years of age to help beautify the local landscape. At any one time in the Tree Trust nursery there are over 10 000 plants being grown from eco-sourced seed, cuttings or root trainer purchases. With some 6 000 plants in stock and growing on for Stage 2 Meadow Walk planting in 2013, our nursery currently looks a picture and I have never seen it looking so tidy. Well done, Team!
The exciting new development of another five-year project for the Tree Trust is the creation of a Meadow Walk linking the River Gardens subdivision with Fletcher Place and the Poets Track. This new track has been graded and fenced, and is being planted over the next few years. It will follow the bank of the Waikato River and wind past grazed reserve land. We received a very generous grant from the Waikato River Clean-up Trust to enable the project to be started. In June this year we went into overdrive and over 5 000 plants have so far been located here.
There has been a tremendous boost to the number of native plants here due to four Sunday sessions with a group of senior St. Peters students who have to do 50 hours of community volunteer work for their International Baccalaureate qualification. We have also had great support from locals. We appreciate the support of the Cambridge Lions Club whose grant of $1 000 allowed us to buy and plant 50 heritage fruit trees. A small team from the Lions helped us plant them in recognition of thier 50 years in Cambridge. The WDC are now fully behind the project and are providing additional funding for stock control, drainage, signage and clearing of sight-lines to give views of the river. Stage 1 of the planting program has been completed.
The popular Lake Te Ko Utu is also undergoing annual input from Tree Trust members, with much new planting of camelias, ferns, rhododendrons, azaleas and the like. This has made the lake even more attractive to both locals and visitors. Some 90 truckloads of weeds dragged down from the lake's very steep banks by WDC-organized labour has seen Brian Mayo kept very busy removing it all, with help from Department of Corrections teams. The challenge is now to develop a planting plan for the next few years with WDC assistance. We thank Brian for his massive commitment to this aspect of Tree Trust life and we need to work closely with WDC on the planting plan.
- The design, content and production of a brochure outining our work and marking out the walking tracks was undertaken by Leslie Wood and is now available at the i-Site and other places around Cambridge. Thanks, Leslie, for another huge job well done.
- A further exciting development over this last year has been the work done on our website by David Phillipps under the guidance of Chris Twemlow of All Things Web in Hamilton. Our history is now all recorded and regular updates and refinements are added so that the website is now very professional and is gaining us much kudos.
- Financially we are in a sound position and credit here must go to Greg Liddy, our grants expert Joan McCathie, and those who have sourced plants at very low cost and encouraged greater involvement from WDC, notably our Chairman, Don Willoughby. Donations regularly roll in as our public profile is strong and the work we have already done around town is greatly appreciated.
- We need to place on record the growing co-operation and support we have received from the Waipa District Council and its staff. Through improved project planning by ourselves and greater communication, their support with sprays, equipment, fences, stiles, fuel and potting mix has grown and is greatly appreciated. It has helped our financial result considerably. Regular reports on our activities and open but frank discussion betwen WDC and ourselves has produced this positive working relationship. Long may it continue.
Finally, a huge thank-you to Leslie Wood and all Tuesday volunteers for their work.
Don Willoughby,
Chairman.
13.11.2012
