Landcare Okareka volunteers have experienced another very busy but satisfying year. The group was awarded Bay of Plenty area Weedbusters Award for work on weed eradication on public reserve land. The award covered work carried out by Landcare Okareka previously and especially two particular areas of weed eradication and replanting with native trees – one in the Tikitapu Scenic Reserve – an area parallel to Okareka Loop Rd and opposite Benn Rd - and the other in the Okareka Scenic Reserve above and around the sewage pump station, - an area between Okareka Loop Rd and Summit Rd on the north eastern side of the village.
Landcare Okareka volunteers have also placed 3 donated and repaired picnic tables down at Silver Beach for water skiers and walkway visitors to use.
Landcare Okareka volunteers are really disappointed that Castlecorp have not been able to get here to mow the edges of the walkway from the carpark out to the composting toilets – it was due to be mowed before Christmas and I am disappointed to report that the edge mowing has still not been done. This mowing has been done since the AGM (when this report was presented) and now with the drought there has been very little growth.
Landcare Okareka volunteers have also created a walking track from Summit Rd near Ridge Rd down through and alongside the new plantings down to the bus stop on Okareka Loop Rd. Hopefully this will make walking in this area a bit safer. Since the AGM, metalling of the upper section has been completed at the Lake Okareka working bee in late February.
I believe that the Lake Okareka community owes a huge vote of thanks to the following for the completion of this project:
All we need now is some rain to help with getting the new gravel to compact, and Guy Gaddum will be back with a roller to roll that section. Rain is what everyone is hoping and praying for, and Landcare Okareka is included in that hope—a contrast to last summer!
We thank everyone for their support of Landcare Okareka activities throughout the past 12 months and we look forward to another busy and rewarding year in 2013. Keep an eye out for the sign boards which advertise Landcare Okareka working bees. We always appreciate any help we can get on these days.
Sandra Goodwin
Secretary
Landcare Okareka
Landcare Okareka volunteers have also placed 3 donated and repaired picnic tables down at Silver Beach for water skiers and walkway visitors to use.
Landcare Okareka volunteers are really disappointed that Castlecorp have not been able to get here to mow the edges of the walkway from the carpark out to the composting toilets – it was due to be mowed before Christmas and I am disappointed to report that the edge mowing has still not been done. This mowing has been done since the AGM (when this report was presented) and now with the drought there has been very little growth.
Landcare Okareka volunteers have also created a walking track from Summit Rd near Ridge Rd down through and alongside the new plantings down to the bus stop on Okareka Loop Rd. Hopefully this will make walking in this area a bit safer. Since the AGM, metalling of the upper section has been completed at the Lake Okareka working bee in late February.
I believe that the Lake Okareka community owes a huge vote of thanks to the following for the completion of this project:
- Walter Miller, RDC Parks and Recreation for his initial support for the whole project and supply of chemicals for weed control and 2 years of plants to revegetate the area.
- Guy Gaddum, an Okareka resident, for initially providing a digger and rake along with a driver for 2 days for weed eradication in the area, at no cost, and then for transporting gravel for the job and also organising and driving the small road roller and digger - all at no cost.
- Rotorua Quarries for supplying the gravel at no charge.
- Peter Harding for driving his digger to form the lower section of the track.
- Roz Hensman from BOPRC for her support of 2 years of plants for revegetation.
- Elizabeth Wood, RDC Roading Engineer for her support of the project and for organising the delivery and installation of culvert pipes up Summit Road (at no direct charge) by Fulton Hogan.
- Team leaders from the Justice Dept and the PD workers for providing muscle power to help shift gravel to where it needed to go.
- Brian Law for his work with timber retaining edges and safety fences.
- All of the Landcare Okareka volunteers for their help with planting & spreading gravel.
- Brian Law and Mike Goodwin for hours spent with knapsacks and weed whackers both before planting and since and finally to Mike Goodwin for overseeing the whole project.
All we need now is some rain to help with getting the new gravel to compact, and Guy Gaddum will be back with a roller to roll that section. Rain is what everyone is hoping and praying for, and Landcare Okareka is included in that hope—a contrast to last summer!
We thank everyone for their support of Landcare Okareka activities throughout the past 12 months and we look forward to another busy and rewarding year in 2013. Keep an eye out for the sign boards which advertise Landcare Okareka working bees. We always appreciate any help we can get on these days.
Sandra Goodwin
Secretary
Landcare Okareka
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