Autumn Newsletter
Our 23rd year of Cambridge Tree Trust work is shaping up to be a very very busy one. The summer months have been a trying time for the Tree Trust with another drought. Following on from last summer’s drought there has been quite a bit of stress on our winter 2013 plantings and once again there is some plant loss especially at the Meadow Walk. The Tuesday group have met regularly each week during the long hot summer. Tasks have included watering nursery plants, plant propagation, spraying weeds, hand weeding, mulching and site preparation at both Lola Silcock Park and the Meadow Walk as we prepare for a big winter’s planting. The nursery at Thornton Rd is once again an absolute picture and it is chokka with healthy plants just waiting for the rains to arrive before we start planting them out. A new planting challenge for 2014 is Lake Te Ko Utu and in conjunction with the Waipa District Council we have been purchasing plants through the summer for this new project. A further challenge that is a goal for us to keep in mind is to plant 10,000 plants. Last year we achieved 9950. Let's crack this goal in 2014.
NURSERY WORK this summer has concentrated on preparing over 12,000 plants for the winter planting programme. There has been spraying, seeding, cutting propagation, weeding and potting on and we now have a very full nursery that is an impressive sight. Some 4000 of our nursery stock are targeted for planting the steep banks of Lake Te Ko Utu where gum trees that were at risk of endangering the public have been removed. In partnership with the Waipa District Council there have been ongoing summer purchases of plants suitable for the harsh environment at the lake. We are “tree sitting “ these plants for council in our nursery. Leslie “green fingers “ Wood is our champion propagator and there are many trays of cuttings thriving in the shade house and regularly these are being repotted for later planting out. This has certainly kept our costs down. We have been appreciative of the support from Waipa Parks and Reserves staff in providing financial support for the purchase of potting mix.
PARTNERSHIPS AND PLANNING AHEAD
Much discussion and planning has taken place over the summer on our four key planting projects for this winter. They are as follows:
- Leamington Cemetery steps bank
- Lola Silcock Park SE end
- Meadow Walk Stages 3 and 4
- Lake Te Ko Utu southern bank.
Much of our success in improving the Cambridge environment has been about establishing positive partnerships. We are developing these in a number of spheres.
- We have been very appreciative of the meetings we have with the WDC staff as we plan these projects and the spirit of co-operation and guidance that exists between ourselves and WDC is a pleasing development. Their support and advice has been invaluable. WDC assist us with the purchase of sprays, potting mix, track metal and the shifting of mulch by the truckload. Their support for signage for the Brain (Blackie) Mayo Reserve was also a plus as was the Spraysafe course organised and paid for by WDC. All of this has been a big help for our graying volunteers.
- Another strong and positive partnership has been the twice weekly work done by Correction Department teams. Their work in bagging and spreading mulch has been invaluable in such a dry summer. Track development of the Woodland Walk at Lola Silcock is an upcoming challenge for them as is carefully supervised planting throughout this winter. Our work with these teams provides a real conversation item.
- Neighbourhood support. On both the Meadow Walk and Lola Silcock projects we have had solid on-going support from neighbours which has been greatly appreciated.
- Waikato River Clean up Trust. Their financial support for the work we are doing at the Meadow Walk has been a blessing as we convert a Council river side reserve from leased dairy grazing into a forested walkway. This has reduced winter dairy run off into the river. There is increasing use of this walkway by the public and mounting positive comments.
- Public and school participation in our work is a developing aspect of what we do.
Weekly we have students from Cambridge High School assist us. Groups like St Peters senior academic students, primary schools, kindergarten parents, scouts and guides, Fonterra “environmental support” all give us their time on an annual basis and are an invaluable support to our planting programme. This year during the months of June and July we will be asking the public to support us each Saturday morning on the challenge of planting the banks of Lake Te Ko Utu. Arbor Day in early June will be the start of lake bank planting.
THE PLANTING PLAN.
Once rainfalls are regular we will start our winter planting programme with some sessions at the Leamington Cemetery. The excellent new steps here require some detailed planting of ground hugging plants like coprosma kirkii, ferns, nikau and kawakawa for erosion prevention. Some large tree planting of native species like rewarewa, totara, rimu and miro will also take place.
Lola Silcock Park.
Early in the winter there are quite a few areas of this park that require further development.
We need to assist neighbours with plants and encourage them to plant and look after their own bordering bank sections. Further wild flower planting is scheduled and Roger Dean has this in hand with both commercial seed and hand gathered seed.
On the eastern end of the park we have done some pruning and thinning. A Woodland Walk has been marked out and earth work done. WDC are providing truckloads of metal for this new walk and CD teams will be used to form it. Roger Dean, using his English heritage, is keen to establish a bluebell dell in the woodland here and bulbs have been ordered for this. Much planting of new trees sourced from Appletons Nursery is to be undertaken here with the assistance of a very keen group of local residents. More fruit trees have been ear-marked for this area also. The Appleton trees and fruit trees have been ordered.
Meadow Walk
Stage1, which we planted three years ago, is looking great but with two years of drought we have quite a bit of replacement planting to do. Over the summer much of this area was heavily mulched through the co-operation of the WDC staff who trucked many loads of mulch there, which was then spread by CD teams. Weed spraying by CTT volunteers also helped. Our regular senior school volunteers from St Peters School will assist us with this area. Their four sessions of four hours community work which they undertake annually are a huge plus for us.
Stage 2 which we planted to the Jane & John Moodie plan last winter is looking exceptional. Regular summer weed-spraying and mulching has kept this area in trim. Infill planting is still required and Jane Moodie is undertaking a stock take of plants required here.
Stages 3 and 4 are being tackled over the next two years. We are deeply indebted to the Waikato River Clean up Trust for their second grant of $15,000 which will enable us to make real progress here. Preparation work on weed control, track relocation and spraying of plant sites has already been undertaken so the woodland we hope to develop on Stage 3 will quickly progress this winter.
Stage 4 is the steep bank to the right of the entrance and while some early planting has been done there 2015 is the aim for fully planting this area. In the meantime gorse control will be a priority.
Lake Te Ko Utu
Considerable planning is already being undertaken by Max Ward of WDC. There is a great opportunity and potential to make this new planting colorful and full of interest. It will be a challenge as the site is steep, difficult to access and the soils are very dry and lacking in fertility. Plant choice will be the key and already both CTT and WDC have purchased plants which are growing on in our nursery. It is planned to kick off planting here on Arbor Day June 5 (which is also World Environment Day) with a ceremony involving some schools. However, to make sure that there is public participation we will run sessions each Saturday between 9 and noon where we provide the plants and direct the public what to plant and where. Our first public planting day will be Saturday 6 June and every Saturday through June and July. A considerable publicity programme will be required to ensure this is a success.
FINANCIAL
The CTT is currently in a very healthy financial position. Joan McCathie, our grants officer, is a superb applicant for grants from many sources. Our public profile is very positive and hence donations are readily forthcoming. By donating our surplus trees at the end of the year to the Te Awa cycleway for schools to plant, we have in return been given good donations. Our Treasurer, Greg Liddy, keeps a close eye on our spending and we thank him for his outstanding work on our behalf.
HONOURS BOARD
The passing of Brian Blackie Mayo prompted us to establish an Honours Board. Roger Dean sourced and carved some kauri and we have had it sign-written with the names of our two life members, Lola Silcock and Brian Mayo. Members who have served in excess of ten years volunteer work with the trust have also been acknowledged and this development has added real distinction to our nursery walls. Names so far on the board are Leslie Wood, Ross Morgan, Greg Liddy, Mike Short, Jim McKnight, Ian Scott and Don Willoughby
HUGE THANK YOU
Each Tuesday at morning tea I look around at the assembled group of volunteers after they have done some 2hours work and feel quite humbled by their energy, passion and ideas. You are a great bunch to work with and I thank you for making Cambridge one of New Zealand’s best small towns
2014 is already shaping up to be a very productive 23rd year for the Cambridge Tree Trust and we hope that in partnership with the WDC this growth and enhancement of our environment will continue for many years.
Don Willoughby
Chairman
Cambridge Tree Trust
Supreme Winner Trust Power Waipa Community Awards 2011
April 8 2014
