October Newsletter and 2009 Annual report.
The Cambridge Tree Trust has had a very busy and active 2009 under the enthusiastic leadership of Brian Mayo. A core group of 10-14 meet at the Thornton Rd Nursery every Tuesday at 9 am to propagate both exotic and native trees, shrubs and flax which are then planted out around Cambridge. Over the last nineteen years the CTT has had a huge impact on the Cambridge urban landscape by constructing tracks and planting trees on reserve land which have attracted native birds to our urban environment. This spring the town has been a picture and the bird life especially tuis has been exceptional. The following is a brief summary of work done this year by the Cambridge Tree Trust and its members. It is very much a work in progress with something happening every week to make Cambridge a better environment in which to live.
The CTT wishes to publicly record a huge vote of thanks for the work done around Cambridge by Corrections Department work teams. They have been heavily involved with the Tree Trust in track maintenance, cleaning up areas prior to planting, spreading autumn mulch leaves and chips, and assisting with our planting. Brian Mayo has been the principal CTT supervisor of these teams.
Throughout 2009 we have been working on a number of major projects and they are listed below with a brief comment.
Daffodils.
A grant of $1000 from the Xmas Festival Committee was used to plant daffodils widely around the town. The supplier Clendon daffodils Gordonton was very generous and we ended up with over 9000 bulbs which have been planted on the approach to Cambridge from Te Awamutu outside River View Gardens, along the fence line of Wordsworth St on the approach to the cemetery, in Lake Te Ko Utu Park and either side of the High Bridge on Pope Terrace. There was a great spring display and we have since heavily fertilised the planted areas so that in 2010 they will flower even better.
Camellias.
A grant of $1000 from the Basil Hewitt Trust was used to purchase 150 special heavy-nectar bearing camellias to attract native birds into Cambridge and 100 of these have been planted by council staff along the Camellia Track above Lake Te Ko Utu. The remainder are growing on in our nursery and will be planted on Lake Te Ko Utu banks in 2010.
Oaks.
An Oak Arboretum has been established on Payne Park next to Resthaven. Two years ago a further $1000 from the Basil Hewitt Trust was used to purchase 300 unusual North American and Mexican oaks which have been grown on in the nursery and are now being planted out around Cambridge. The seeds came from Berry’s arboretum at Tinoroto, Gisborne and then were grown into plants at Appleton’s, Nelson. Oak planting was also undertaken in numerous places around town. We still have close to 200 in our nursery and many more will be planted around Cambridge in the 2010 planting season..
Native shrubs.
CTT members assisted Waipa Council Parks and Gardens staff with the planting of over 2000 native trees and shrubs using eager Leamington Primary School students, parents and staff. The planted area was the banks and surrounds of a just completed water control project off Wordsworth St.
Riverview Terrace project.
Stage 2 planting of the RiverView terrace and Waikato River banks at the low bridge end of Shakespeare St has been a major focus for the CTT this winter. A splendid park is being created here with wide riverviews, colourful plantings and walking tracks in an area where aged gum tress dominated formerly. This is an ongoing development which has another 2-3 years to run and is currently making an attractive statement which is causing a good deal of favourable comment about the work that we do.
The Swale of Oaklands and Swayne Park.
This year’s severe winter caused a heavy loss of trees and shrubs in this area so further infill planting as well as new planting has been done. This area along the Oaklands boundary with the Green Belt and throughout the Saffron swale is a success story with the new tracks developed by the Waipa DC now popular with walkers and mountain bikers. It is an excellent recreational addition to the town landscape and is being well used.
Magnolia Triangle.
With strong support from Hoffmans Nurseries, a large number of low growing native plants were purchased at reasonable cost and the triangle bank around the magnolias in Pope Terrace was planted in blocks of colour. This area is already looking excellent. A new layer of wood chips was spread around these new plantings by CD groups.
Specimen Trees.
This year a special push was made to plant out large specimen trees which had been in our nursery for some time. Over 50 are now growing along street verges and in parks around the town.
Summary of 2009 plantings.
In total close to 4000 trees and shrubs have been planted this year by CTT.
Corrections Department.
Once again we have had much work done by Correction department groups and Brian Mayo has often spent four days a week directing the work of these teams.
At times finding them constructive tasks to undertake is a challenge and searching out firewood from dead trees and from pallets has become a major task. This firewood has been on sold from the nursery with a distinctive sign attracting customers to make a “doughnation”. This is providing a small source of income for us.
WDC Partnership
A special effort has been made this year to work more closely with the Parks and Reserves Department of the Waipa District Council. We have had some constructive meetings sharing ideas on work to be done and one project that shows this growing partnership was the development of the Bath St terraces. This will be a major project for us for the next few years but an excellent start has been made on Phase one which was clearing the rubbish and trees that have developed there in the last two decades. Don Willoughby and John Davies have been leading this project in close consultation with Council staff. The area is now cleared and is in grass and regular spraying is to be undertaken by John and Don to ensure weed and tree regrowth does not occur. Phase 2 is on going and plans and ideas for the development of this area have been drawn up to present to Council for their approval. Meanwhile gathering of plant material and the ongoing nursery growth of this will enable us to plant in this large area next winter.
The cost of the earthworks to prepare this area for recreational use was an excellent example of the cooperation we need to make projects succeed. Phase one cost $4200 and it involved contributions from Paul Garland the contractor, the George Marshall Trust, the Silcock family, the WDC and local residents. There was no financial input needed from the CTT which was an excellent result.
It is hoped that part of this development will become a memorial to Lola Silcock.
Membership.
We need to undertake a push for new members and it has been suggested that a brochure outlining the work that we do may assist in this recruitment of new members. This brochure is now in preparation.
Plans for 2010
Complete Riverview planting.
Continue clean up of Lake Te Ko Utu terraces and plant many more trees.
Assist with replanting vegetation along the Flow form steps at Lake Te Ko Utu.
Continue development of Bath St park in memory of deceased life member Lola Silcock.
Planting of stand alone feature exotic and native trees in parks, reserves and streets as required.
Develop planting plan for terrace off Shakespeare St.
Plant more daffodils in appropriate areas.
Repair and reopen Poets Track.
Continue dialogue with council over the proposal to develop an oak dell on the Karapiro Stream terraces.
Start developing riverbank track from Fletcher Place to River Gardens.
Prepare a brochure about the role of the CTT to attract new members.
Thank you all.
A special thank you needs to go to the following; Union Parish of Cambridge, Selectrix Fun Day, New World Cambridge, Cambridge Masonic Welfare Trust, Lions Club of Cambridge and Jumble Around Store. Their contributions have been essential in continuing our work.
Hogans Accountants carry out the oversight on our financial affairs, to the team there, a very special thanks for all their work.
We are a small but vigorous volunteer group of passionate environmentalists. Without mentioning all names, we are proactive, we do have local concerns about how local parks and reserves should be developed and our members work hard to make things happen around town and hence a huge thank you to all who have in 2009 made the CTT such a joy to be involved with.
Don Willoughby; Brian Mayo
Deputy Chairman; Chairman.
