Any of you recently walking along the Lake Okareka Walkway will have noticed that a number of flaxes have been removed in the flax grove area past the point. The flaxes have been an ongoing problem requiring regular trimming back from the track by Landcare Okareka volunteers - a job that no one enjoys, and it ends up with ugly looking flax plants. The flaxes are also a problem for the Castlecorp mower guys, with leaves getting tangled around the mower blades. The flaxes growing along the fence are a problem to the Playne family farm "Longfords" and the farm manager, as they short out the electric fence. These are large varieties of flaxes that were originally planted at public plantings, under supervision of the then Rotorua District Council Landscape Architect. They were planted too close to the track and the fenceline. This was before Landcare Okareka was established. So recently Landcare Okareka and a representative from RDC met and discussed the problem and decided to remove some of the flaxes that were very close to the track. Castlecorp came with a small digger to remove some of the flaxes. More will be removed in the summer in the new financial year. Landcare Okareka volunteers will replant the area adjacent to the fence with a mix of manuka and kanuka, as the flaxes are removed. This is at present "a work in progress".
Further out along the walkway LO Volunteers worked in March and moved part of the track, as it has scoured out over time. We also cemented in place one of the picnic tables that had been movable - it kept ending up being put in the lake and having to be shifted back to dry land.
We are now into winter planting time. We had a very wet planting day in May when some manuka and kanuka plants were put in where the track has been moved. A few brave and hearty souls went for a ride on Dennis Falconer's barge - thank you Dennis for the use of the barge! - And endured the wet weather to do this planting. Plants were also dropped in the area where the flax has been moved and later planted by LO volunteers.
Future winter time planting working bees will be in Taumaihi Reserve, at the end of Acacia Road; an area along the canal for Bay of Plenty Regional Council following the replacement of the Lake Okareka outlet pipeline; in the reserve at the start of the Lake Okareka walkway; opposite Benn Road in Tikitapu Scenic Reserve - this will be a joint Landcare Okareka, Rotorua Forest & Bird and Rotorua Botanical Society planting working bee; in the reserve area near the entrance to the DOC camp, Millar Road.
If you are keen to help, we would appreciate any time that you have to spare. Working Bees will continue to happen on the 4th Saturday of the month (unless otherwise notified). Watch out for the sign boards to go up – and please feel free to come and help. Sandra Goodwin, Secretary, Landcare Okareka, phone 362 8865 or email sgoodwin@actrix.co.nz
Further out along the walkway LO Volunteers worked in March and moved part of the track, as it has scoured out over time. We also cemented in place one of the picnic tables that had been movable - it kept ending up being put in the lake and having to be shifted back to dry land.
We are now into winter planting time. We had a very wet planting day in May when some manuka and kanuka plants were put in where the track has been moved. A few brave and hearty souls went for a ride on Dennis Falconer's barge - thank you Dennis for the use of the barge! - And endured the wet weather to do this planting. Plants were also dropped in the area where the flax has been moved and later planted by LO volunteers.
Future winter time planting working bees will be in Taumaihi Reserve, at the end of Acacia Road; an area along the canal for Bay of Plenty Regional Council following the replacement of the Lake Okareka outlet pipeline; in the reserve at the start of the Lake Okareka walkway; opposite Benn Road in Tikitapu Scenic Reserve - this will be a joint Landcare Okareka, Rotorua Forest & Bird and Rotorua Botanical Society planting working bee; in the reserve area near the entrance to the DOC camp, Millar Road.
If you are keen to help, we would appreciate any time that you have to spare. Working Bees will continue to happen on the 4th Saturday of the month (unless otherwise notified). Watch out for the sign boards to go up – and please feel free to come and help. Sandra Goodwin, Secretary, Landcare Okareka, phone 362 8865 or email sgoodwin@actrix.co.nz
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