Events

OLG Bowmans Bush Chilean Flame Creeper Control

Removing Chilean flame creeper in Bowman’s Bush

When: Thursday 22nd January, 7-8:30 pm.

Where: Bowman’s Bush (meet on Spence Ave, access via Paterson Reserve)

What: Pulling out Chilean flame-creeper, an invasive weed.

This is done annually to keep Bowman’s Bush from being smothered. QEII would like to thank the key supporters of Bowman’s Bush - diligent local residents and Otatara Landcare Group volunteers for their weeding help for nearly two decades, Otatara Pestbusters for their predator control and Invercargill City Council for maintaining the walking track.

What to bring: Practical clothes for working in the bush off the track, gloves can be helpful. No tools or herbicide necessary. For more information contact: Jesse Bythell, QEII National Trust Regional Representative ([Enable JavaScript to view protected content], 020 400 32109).

Check this project out here.

Friends of Thomsons Bush Working Bees

Friends of Thomsons Bush are back concentrating on weed removal for 2026. They are attacking a number of weed species, from pulling ivy to cutting and pasting barberry, drilling and filling holly and elderberry. Meet at entrance to bush at west end of GIMBLETT STREET, 9.55am. This is a regular Wednesday working bee. For more info, contact Judy at [Enable JavaScript to view protected content].

Mini Forest Movement Native Plant Nursery drop-in session

First Tuesday of every month, from 4pm to 6pm
(No session in January and we restart on Tuesday 3 February 2026)
AB Lime Nursery, 10 Bend Road, Winton

All welcome to come to our monthly native plant growing working-bee evenings at the AB Lime Nursery. Your help will go toward growing plants for the Mid Ōreti Mini Forest Movement Project, which provides native plants to the local community and landowners for their planting projects. Training is provided and all ages welcome! Stay for as little or as long as you like.

Wednesday evening Tree releasing at Bushy Point, Otatara

Strong Spring grass growth this year is putting real pressure on many of the young trees, released from lupins earlier this year, which now urgently need releasing from encroaching grass if they are to survive and prosper this year. So Otatara Landcare Group is organising tree releasing sessions at Bushy Point each Wednesday in November from 6 to 7pm. Various methods can be used to release the trees and suppress competing grass etc growth, as will be demonstrated at the time. If you can help, please meet at the lookout seat, accessed from the Bryson Rd entrance to Bushy Point. Kids can help too, finding and marking the seedlings hidden in the tall grass!

If possible, please bring:
Ø shoes or gumboots suitable for working in long grass
Ø gardening gloves
Ø clothing suitable for the expected weather conditions
Ø a face mask if you are allergic to dust or grass seeds
Ø safety (or other) glasses to protect eyes when weeding amid tall grass
Ø secateurs and/or a small pruning saw for working in bracken/lupins
Ø ideally, a pair of sharp garden shears suitable for cutting grass
Ø something to drink, especially in hot conditions.
Look forward to seeing you if you can make it!

SERN Spring Field Trip - Te Anau area

This year’s SERN Spring Field Trip will be a two day visit to the Te Anau area, with other stops on the way there and back. We will be visiting some new sites, as well as returning to others which some will have visited before, to see how they have developed over the longer term. Most sites are riparian, some just getting started, others well established. A few have QEII covenants: an opportunity to find out more about the value and process of covenanting. It will also be a self-drive weekend (although carpooling will be organised as required - see below ). The programme is as follows:

Saturday 15th November

10.30am: Dunrobin Tussock QEII Covenant (2450 Wreys Bush-Mossburn Rd). QEII Rep Jesse Bythell and botanist Brian Rance will talk to us about some rare species present here and explain the special restoration techniques being used to try and ensure their survival.

12.00pm: Lunch at Mossburn (BYO)

1.30pm: Marwick’s QEII Restoration Covenant (625 Kakapo Rd, Te Anau). QEII Rep Mark Sutton will be present to explain a different type of QEII covenant here, where Simon and Sue Marwick have planted thousands of native plants to restore a gully system.

4.30pm: Te Kōawa Tūroa o Takitimu (3023 Blackmount-Redcliff Rd, Jericho). Te Waiau Mahika Kai Trust Programme Manager, Vanessa Horwell, will tell us about the restoration project being undertaken here by the Trust to restore mahinga kai (Ngāi Tahu traditional food and resources). We will do a short walk around to look at the site and at some of the work being done. (Overnight stay is possible: see below.)

Later in the evening, following a shared potluck Dinner, there will be a chance to listen out for bats.

Sunday 16th November

9.30am: Cathedral Peaks Home Creek Riparian Restoration Project (268 Hillside-Manapouri Rd). Landowners, Cameron and Wendy MacDonald, and project organisers, Environment Southland, will explain the community restoration work being undertaken alongside this stream which originates from the Kepler Mire.

10.30am: Waiau Trust’s Home Creek Restoration Project (170 Hillside-Manapouri Rd). Following early work led by Edith Jones, further restoration plantings have been undertaken by the Waiau Habitat Trust with support from the Motorhome Association. Check out the original creek plantings and hear about the future plans.

12.30pm: Lunch at Mossburn (BYO)

1.45pm: Rural Women’s Castledown Wetlands (928 Dipton-Mossburn Rd). Last visited in 2018 by SERN, in the last few years they have begun willow control. Hear about these plans from Ann Irving, and also about the group’s ongoing planting and pest control at this site on the Dipton River.

Please email Gay at [Enable JavaScript to view protected content] with expressions of interest for this field trip, especially in the night’s stay at Te Kōawa Tūroa o Takitimu Lodge. The Lodge can sleep a maximum of 20, but some campervans can be accommodated. Also please advise if you are interested in carpooling (offer a seat, need a seat).