SPRING NEWSLETTER AND CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.
AGM 2017 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Once again 2017 has been an outstanding year for the Cambridge Tree Trust in which there were many highlights. Our core group of more than 20 volunteers meets each Tuesday. A feature of our current group of volunteers has been their passion, enthusiasm and the wide ranging skills they bring to Tree Trust work. We continue to make a huge difference to the Cambridge landscape as this year we have planted in excess of 6,000 plants mostly natives.
2017 has been a year of consolidation of current projects and a slight change in emphasis as maintenance has become a key component of our work. As we have been so successful in developing new areas of reserve land into attractive areas of new plantings the staff of Waipa District Council have been stretched to keep on top of weed growth. Hence our annual workload has changed a little and an increasing amount of our time is spent on spraying weed control and pruning. The addition of a small Thursday work group led by Eric and JanTodd has helped in coping with our increased workload
There were many highlights in 2017 and this lists some of them.
- Continued work at Lola Silcock Park
- Full nursery of in excess of 10,000 growing on plants for 2018
- Expanded Meadow Walk project with wetland on MW5
- Replanting of Lake Te Ko Utu banks
- Development of a bog garden at the lake
- Development of close links with Mitre 10
- Close co-operation with Waipa District Council
- Ongoing work with many schools
- Maple Arboretum project expanded
- Completion of Oak Arboretum fine tuning.
- Planning for further Resthaven work.
- Payne Park development
- Successful grant applications
- Continued fine tuning and updating of our excellent website.
- Bluebell development in Ann’s patch.
The Lola Silcock Park project is in its ninth year and nearing completion. Much fine tuning and maintenance is now needed here and Jan Todd is now supervising this special area. Rabbits have made their home here and have created a challenge for us, as has the wet winter. Regular maintenance sessions are planned with rabbit control, drainage, plant replacement, pruning, mulching and weed maintenance taking place annually for some time yet. It has become a special area, is well used by the public and presents a variety of attractively planted landscapes close to the centre of Cambridge.
Our nursery work has taken on a new emphasis this year with trays of seeds gathered last summer being successfully germinated over winter by Joan McCathie and we now have a huge number of trays of pricked out plants growing on in our shade house. Renga renga and grasses dominate. Leslie Wood, our green fingured cutting expert, has been equally successful and we are now working through the potting on of some 35 trays of rooted cuttings. Over the spring period our nursery work has been full on each Tuesday transplanting, weeding and potting on 1000’s of plants. We have also been indebted to local nurseries for their support; Cambrian for their donation of some 700 free camellias and michelias, Amber who have sourced some special planting needs for the Lake Te Ko Utu banks and Mainly Maples for their truckload of free maples for the lake bank. At any one time in the Tree Trust nursery there are in excess of 10,000 plants being grown from eco-sourced seed, cuttings, root trainer purchases and freebies. The annual stock take in October revealed that we are in good shape with our 2018 planting needs.
The Meadow Walk project linking the River Gardens subdivision with Fletcher Place and the Poets Track has been expanded each year and is looking a picture. Jane and John Moodie have become the planners and drivers of this project and the new Stage 5 wetland is looking so good. This year we were able to liberate some of the wet areas of the Meadow Walk from a grazing lease and, in partnership with Waipa District Council and the Moodies, a new fence protecting the wetter areas from grazing came about and a very large scale wetland planting took place .The whole riverbank area has now been progressively planted on an annual basis and follows the banks of the Waikato River and winds through grazed reserve land. It has become a popular walkway and our work here has astounded users. Under the drive, energy and leadership of John and Jane Moodie many thousands of wetland plants went into the ground this year and regular spraying and weed removal happens. An improved metal surface is planned for 2018 by Waipa District Council.
The ever popular Lake Te Ko Utu is also proving a planting challenge, as sections of the steep banks where tall, unstable, very large gums were cleared now require replanting. We are working closely with the Parks and Reserve staff of the Waipa District Council to source, purchase, then grow on in our nursery the 1000’s of plants needed annually for this area.. This year a gift of large maples from Mainly Maples were planted here and will make a great show in future. A grant application to the Lions for 2018 will enable us to purchase more trees for this area. Weed maintenance on steep banks is an ongoing issue here
The Maple Arboretum project continues on the Brian “Blackie” Mayo Reserve. Annually more maples are mulched, staked and labeled with this ongoing project attracting positive public comments. The planning and execution of this exciting new project has been driven by the Todd and Moodie families and we thank the Community Board for their support here.
The 20-year-old Oak Arboretum project is now complete and weed maintenance is in the capable hands of Neville Holland. The 20 oak species which have been group planted are now named and labeled. With its walkways and mown surface it has become an attractive park for public use. Blackie Mayo would be delighted to see this project finished.
In keeping with our constitution statement, we continue to work closely with young people and Scouts, Guides and many primary school groups have, with our guidance, assisted us in planting new areas. Goodwood, Cambridge Primary and the two high schools all helped.
Our website is being fine tuned, improved and updated constantly under the eagle eye of David Phillipps and his advisor Chris Twemlow, an IT specialist from All Things Web, Hamilton. It is an outstanding record of our work and quite informative and inspirational to check out.
Financially we are in a very sound position and credit here must go to the outstanding work of our treasurer Greg Liddy and our grants expert Joan McCathie, Donations regularly roll in as our public profile is strong and the work we have done around town greatly appreciated. Grants and support have been received this year from Mitre 10, Hewett Trust, Cambridge Union Parish Shop, George Marshall Trust, Rotary, Lions, Jumble Around and Pub Charity to name a few. We need to place on record the cooperation and support which we have received from the Waipa District Council and its staff.
Leslie Wood, our longstanding secretary and Trust stalwart, has had to retire due to ill health. Her contribution over many years is greatly commended and we will miss her cheerful input and guidance and wish her good health. A huge thank you Leslie for her expertise and knowledge. Her photo record of projects is a mighty record of our history. My thanks also go to the core group whose energy, enthusiasm and friendship each week makes the weekly challenge of organising work routines for you all a joy
Don Willoughby
Chairman 08/11/17
