News • Southland Ecological Restoration Network

Good news from Te Rere

Forest & Bird Southland’s long running restoration project at Te Rere is looking good for the yellow eyed penguin this season. A survey pre-Christmas showed the number of nesting birds the highest they’ve been since the fire in 1995. The fire event devastated the population, and with 25 nests and approximately 70 birds recorded this season, this is still only about half of what had been present before. So there are great hopes that this positive trend continues and numbers keep climbing. The other good news is that a recent grant from the Biodiversity Condition Fund will allow planting of another 10 ha, extending the protected area. This gully system, currently mostly pasture cover, will be planted out in flax, along with some forest species. Over time it is expected that forest regeneration will occur naturally with a good source of seeds and birds to spread them.

Posted on: Wednesday, 13 February 2013

Gore Refuse Site undergoes transformation.

A group of Gore residents have made great progress in restoring the old Gore Refuse Site at Thompson’s Park. Using the gum trees that have been planted over a decade ago to their advantage, they have established native species amongst the sheltered area. With excellent maintenance by a GDC staff member, the plantings are going very well and worth checking out. Annual plantings started 5 years ago and those first planted along the riverside are now over 3m high, a great improvement on the willows that were there previous.

Posted on: Wednesday, 13 February 2013

Waverly Cubs Learn about Natives

For over ten years now Invercargill South Lion Club member, Allan McPherson, along with John Tait, have worked on the restoration of Kew Bush. They have undertaken plant propagation for the project at the Southland Community Nursery, learning skills from Chris Rance. They have also worked with Environment Southland Biosecurity Officers on animal pest and weed control. Allan shared the knowledge he has gained with the Waverly Cubs in the winter, taking cuttings and sowing seeds of natives from Kew Bush. This was followed up by the Cubs undertaking a planting session in Kew Bush mid-November. He also talked to them about the possum and stoat trapping that he carries out in the bush. Great to see the knowledge being passed on and another group learn about native restoration.

Posted on: Tuesday, 11 December 2012

Hedgehope School at Sherwood Forest

For four years now Hedgehope School pupils have undertaken plantings at the Turnbull property, Sherwood Forest, at Tussock Creek. A nationally significant matai dominant forest on floodplain, this area was hard hit by the 1996 frosts, with 500 year old matai being killed out. Many groups have worked with the Turnbull’s to help restore this area. The Hedgehope School plot, alongside the old Hedgehope Stream, has been most successful. The school visited recently to maintain plantings they had done last spring, with all plants surviving and doing well. A fine effort, Hedgehope School!

Posted on: Tuesday, 11 December 2012

Living Legends boosts Bushy Point Restoration

At the beginning of September the Living Legends second annual planting took the Otatara Landcare Group’s goal of joining the two forest remnants at Bushy Point another major step closer. Over two days, with 90 shcool children attending on the Friday, then over 200 people attending on Saturday, they made light work of getting the 3,500 plants in the ground. This is an exciting restoration project, worth checking out by walking the track that is in place there.

Posted on: Thursday, 4 October 2012

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