Midwinter 2013.
The sudden passing of foundation member Brian “Blackie” Mayo was a shock to us all. His passion for the Cambridge environment and especially trees and birds, his energy, his ideas on future projects and love of playing pranks on fellow members will be sorely missed. His patient and supportive work with Corrections Department teams was legendary. His jokes and stories at morning coffee were a weekly highlight. They too will be missed. In memory of his outstanding contribution to Cambridge parks and reserves we have suggested to the Community Board that the Oaklands swale between Thornton Rd and Swayne Rd be named the Brian Mayo Reserve. At the risk of Blackie being able to “haunt us from above” as he promised, the Trustees of the Tree Trust have recommended to our July management committee that Brian be confirmed as a Life Member. He thoroughly deserves to be publicly recognized as such although he never sought such accolades.
We have had a very busy autumn with our 2013 plantings currently standing at 4000 which is 300 up on this time last year. We have made a promise to Blackie that we will crack the 10,000 mark this year. Our Tuesday working bees have been well attended and on average 14-20 volunteers meet weekly at the nursery.
LOLA SILCOCK PARK
We have continued to plant there on a regular basis planting both new areas and thickening the plants in older areas. One recent Tuesday session with a team of six volunteers from Fonterra resulted in over 600 plants going into the steep Bath St extension bank in just on two hours. Last week our own 14 volunteers were very efficient in locating a further 378 plants on the steep bank amid fun calls for crampons and oxygen. It was quite challenging terrain to plant on. Grants from Fonterra and Dr George Marshall have covered the cost of some 1000 low, spreading plants for this bank. The whole riverside park is now looking a picture with mowed lawns, mulched plantings, tracks, a new wildflower section, picnic tables and seats. Weed control is an issue and involves considerable ongoing work by a few members. We are delighted that Cambridge Primary School has developed an extension to our park but on their own land. We thank the Reserves and Parks staff of WDC for their support in keeping this area mown and tidy. Throughout the winter, autumn leaves and sawdust which are currently being stockpiled here will be spread around our plantings by Correction Department teams and after five years work we are very close to completing our vision. What a contrast this area now is when compared to the rubbish landscape that existed in 2008.
MEADOW WALK
Now that grazing of the western end of this project area has finished we have been able continue with year two planting. Already over 3000 plants have found a new home there and during late summer we sprayed, weed-ate, and began infill planting there on Tuesdays. Blackie made a last sprint with Corrections teams mulching, weed eating and cutting gorse. On a late May Sunday two truckloads of native grasses and shrubs were successfully located in the ground by 6 St Peters students as part of their International Baccalaureate course. The former dairy leased land has now been retired from grazing as part of a three year plan for this Meadow Walk. A huge workload of removing gorse and spraying has been undertaken by Jane and John Moodie and we are now poised to attack planting here. Looking at the remarkable growth of some 5700 root trainer native plants which were transferred into PB3’s in November-December by our nursery work and are now head high and desperate to get out of our nursery and onto the Meadow Walk, there is a very challenging two months planting ahead.
We are grateful to the Waikato River Cleanup Trust for their support on this project which is the biggest we have ever undertaken in our 21 year history. The WDC parks and reserves staff and especially Max Ward have been giving us invaluable assistance with erecting new fences and strengthening old fences, removing and poisoning pussy willows and freeing the riverbank views of gorse, holly and weed. Other support for this large project has come from nearby residents and further planting sessions are planned with Scouts and St Peters School. The Cambridge Lions have given us another $1000 for further heritage fruit trees which have been ordered for July delivery from nurseries and they will add to the food crop forest being established along the Meadow Walk
MARAE
We continue to donate and supply native plants to assist the marae committee in their landscape project.
NURSERY WORK
Some 5700 small native plants were acquired from Annton Nurseries last autumn ( five truckloads in fact) and these were re-potted into PB3 and PB5 containers. Their summer growth has been phenomenal and they really are ready for Meadow Walk planting this winter. We have ploughed through 10 cubic metres of Dalton potting mix in the last six months and our nursery currently looks full, tidy and very professional. Visitors pass very positive comments when they view it. Our nursery is a very large, labour intensive operation and huge progress was made last week when 24 Girl Guides descended on our nursery and in a two hour twilight session re-potted over 800 cuttings and small plants. One girl commented ”what fun this community work is.” They sang, chatted, reacted to the challenge, showed great teamwork and even ran with their full wheelbarrows of potted plants from the potting tables out into the flood-lit shade house. It was a great to see young teenagers being so enthusiastic about plants.
We were also pleased to be able to supply Riding for Disabled with some trees and shrubs
recently for their site development and currently we are working closely with the Rotary Club on a reafforestation project they are planning at Lake Karapiro. It is pleasing to see our plants being used on community projects.
FUNDING and GRANTS
In the last few months we have been very appreciative of the financial support we have received by private donations and grants from Fonterra, Guardian Trust, Hewitt Foundation, Union Parish, and Dr George Marshall. Further grants have been applied for. We are in a healthy financial state through the good work of Joan McCathie and Greg Liddy.
THE FUTURE
There are some exciting plans afoot for future developments like the proposed perimeter walkway around the Green Belt, the Te Awa cycle-way linking the Avantidrome with Cambridge, a river crossing over the Gaslight Theatre water pipe and planting the Karapiro Stream catchment.
THE TEAM.
The regular Tuesday team is a pleasure to work with. What a great bunch you all are! We share your expertise and knowledge as well our combined passion for plants, trees, birds and your invaluable labour to improve of the Cambridge environment. You are wonderful volunteers and your efforts and ideas are treasured.
Don Willoughby
Chairman
23 June 2013
