Restoring Waipu’s waterways

27 June, 2022

PIROA-BRYNDERWYNS LANDCARE GROUP

A nursery is being brought back to life with the aim of producing 20,000 native plants per year for the riparian banks of Waipu’s rivers and streams.

On Sunday June 12, the first steps were taken to bring a disused local nursery back to life. Through a collaboration between Waipu Waters and Weed Action Piroa Brynderwyns, 25 supporters came together in response to a call for help to clear the weeds, repair the wind cloths and start restoring the old nursery on Dave Brown’s Cove Road Tahamoana Farm. Work was also completed in establishing the layout of the nursery, with Waipu Water leader Peter Grant and input from local experts and hapu.

After an amazing three-hour effort to clear the half hectare site, a demonstration of how to create a hot compost was given by Weed Action coordinator Ron Haynes. Old newspaper, cardboard, egg cartoons and sawdust (the carbon component) were added to coffee grounds, kitchen scraps, sheep/chicken poo, and seaweed to create the microbiological activity to break down the weeds which produces finished compost in a much shorter period.

If you are interested in supporting this ongoing project, here is where you may help. If you have plastic plant pots that you can donate, please drop them to 16 The Braigh Waipu.

Do you have any seedlings such as manuka, kanuka, titoki or other natives we can propagate? Or do you want to be part of a small group that meets for a few hours a week to look after the nursery? If so, please get in touch pg@ecoprojects.nz or call (09) 432 1710.

A special thanks to Dave Brown for allowing us to use the nursery and his tireless work in preparing the land on Sunday.

n The next workshop will be on Sunday July 10 at 9am with a focus on eco seed sourcing. If you are keen to join, go to Tahamoana Farms, 566 Cove Rd on the day and just follow the arrows straight up over the hill to find the nursery.

Supporters come together to clear weeds, repair wind cloths and start restoring the old nursery. PHOTO/SUPPLIED