Events

Forest & Bird Te Anau Field Trip

Trip to Manapouri for working bee in morning at Home Creek wetland, lunch talk at Rainbow Reach by Ray Willet on the Kepler Project and afternoon activity depending on weather. The annual Forest & Bird trip to Home Creek has seen the area planted out with predominantly red tussock, flax and carex, along with toe toe and cabbage trees. This meandering stream wetland has developed into a picturesque habitat from a barren dry pastureland. Plantings are ongoing, led by Manapouri local, Edith Jones, who initiated the restoration project. (Check this Home Creek project out under SERN Projects.)

Moving to Rainbow Reach at about 1.00pm, we will have a lunch stop and hear from Ray Willett about the Kids Restore the Kepler project. This conservation effort is engaging the Fiordland College students in a trapping programme with the goal of bringing back the birds around the Kepler mountain. Find out how their progress is going.

Following this, as long as the weather is right, we will proceed to the Wilderness Reserve to undertake weed control, attacking heather and broom.

If you would like to join us for the day then either meet at Southland Museum for car pooling - leave at 9.30am or meet at 11.00am at Home Creek car park.

Leader - Edith Jones, ph 213 1571 or contact Chris Rance 213 1161.

Home Creek Restoration Project

The annual visit by Southland Forest & Bird to help with restoration plantings at Home Creek, near Manapouri. The Home Creek restoration plantings have been ongoing for nearly a decade. With the meandering stream running through the area, it has proven to be a challenging project. Edith Jones, who leads the project, has found that floods and droughts both determine how you develop a restoration plan. However her trial and error technique is now bearing fruit as those plantings that have survived are becoming well established. The last few years have focussed on planting red tussock, toe toe and flax, all good wetland species.

If you would like to help with this year’s working bee, then join us at Home Creek (on the highway south from Manapouri, turn in by camping ground) at 11.00am. For further information contact Edith Jones, 213 1571.

Southland Community Nursery Native Plant Sale, Otatara

Check out the wide range of locally sourced native plants at the Southland Community Nursery, 185 Grant Road, Otatara. From 2.00 - 4.00pm. Come along between 2.00pm and 4.00pm to the Southland Community Nursery, 185 Grant Road, Otatara - all plants $4. All hardy species that will thrive in Southland’s weather! Feel free to come for a look around at our plantings, ponds and bush restoration areas. Proceeds from plant sales will go to the Community Nursery Trust for the new Education Centre - www.southlandcommunitynursery.org.nz

Weedbusters at Bowmans Bush, Otatara

The annual attack on Chilean flame creeper at Bowmans Bush is gradually reducing this pest plant. Come and help in this year’s effort from 7.00pm to 8.30pm. Bowmans Bush is Southland’s only Queen Elizabeth II National Trust property, with day to day management carried out by the Invercargill City Council. As with other reserves around Otatara, the forest remnant has been invaded by the garden escapee, Chilean flame creeper. There is no easy way to control this plant pest, however other landowners in the area have been successful with physical removal over the years. The Bowmans Bush autumn working bees have been going on for 8 years now and Randall Milne, Environment Southland Biosecurity Officer (Weeds) reports that the presence of this pest plant is much reduced. Come along and join us for this year’s effort, which will be from 7.00pm to 8.30pm. If you require any further information please contact Randall Milne at Environment Southland, [Enable JavaScript to view protected content].

World Wetlands Day Celebration - Waituna

The Waituna Landcare Group & Landcare Trust invite you to join them for a morning of workshops on Wetland Health, then for a guided walk around the Waituna Wetlands Loop Track in the afternoon. 10.00 am Meet at WLG Gravel Pit Restoration Project car park at corner of Waituna Lagoon Rd & Hanson Rd.

Morning tea & introduction
10.30 am WETMAK workshops.
1. Monitoring your Wetland. Why do it? Monitoring plan,calendar. Mapping your wetland. Photopoints, record changes over time.
2. Warrant of Fitness for your wetland. Threats of plant, animal, fire. Hydrology.
12.00 pm Head to Waituna Lagoon Lookout car park for BBQ lunch
1.00 pm Guided walk around Loop Track

Please register for workshops & bbq. These are limited to 30 people so be in quick. RSVP by Friday 15th February 2013. Contact Janet Gregory, email [Enable JavaScript to view protected content] or Ph 03 2087883 or Gay Munro, email [Enable JavaScript to view protected content] or Ph 03 2395 827