This project arose because the new Waikato Expressway cut off a large piece of land which had been used for grazing. The Waipa District Council incorporated it into the adjoining Brian Mayo Reserve, and one of our members, Jane Moodie, came up with the idea of a maple arboretum similar to the older oak arboretum nearby. The Council's Parks Dept. approved, so areas were marked out, sprayed to clear, and mulched. Jane, with Jan Todd, then set about selecting plants for stage 1.
In the winter of 2015, we planted the first section. We put rabbit protection around the saplings and staked them. They're growing well.
There is a long stretch of parkland between the road and the houses which we have developed along the same lines. We will have to be careful here, as the trees are much closer to the houses. In stage 1, we have graded the trees, with the smaller ones closest to the houses, and we have left large spaces between plantings for ease of mowing with a tractor-mounted mower.
We have to acknowledge gifts of posts from Mitre 10 and stainless steel plates for labels from Cambridge Sheet Metals. Engraving was done by a company in Te Rapa at a very favourable price.
