Volunteers from Landcare Okareka (LO) have been quietly working away on several projects in various reserves, and in some cases on privately owned land, within the Lake Okareka catchment area.
Over the drier and warmer summer and autumn months Landcare Okareka volunteers have carried out track maintenance work, fixing holes, etc along the Lake Okareka Walkway. We had expected that RDC would get this work done. We have also had cleaning up working bees at several of the reserves that we have planted and now monitor for weed regrowth, etc.
Lake Okareka Walkway Maintenance:
As far as the Lake Okareka Walkway in concerned (from Acacia Road car park), Landcare Okareka Steering Committee (LOSC) have tried to keep pressure on Rotorua Lakes Council (RLC) to carry out work on removing the large flaxes that were planted along the Walkway, in a couple of sections. Landcare Okareka was NOT involved in planting these flaxes. That planting was done following the planting plan created by Tessa Bunny, Landscape Architect for RDC at that time. To be fair, RLC have recently sent workers from Infracore out to trim some of the flax leaves, so that they are not trip hazards for people using the walkway.
In the past LO volunteers have undertaken trimming of the Phormium tenax flax along the Walkway on numerous occasions...it is quite hard, physical work. Back in April 2015 RDC Parks and Reserves person Brent Smith got Castlecorp to come to remove the flaxes with a digger. It was a bit of a disaster really as the digger they brought to use was much too small and only a few flaxes were dug out and moved. Since then each year LO chases RDC/RLC personnel up to get more of the flaxes moved...nothing happens. This year there was a change in staff at RLC Parks, Recreation and Environment, and Simon Alefosio-Tuck and Richard Dahlenburg actually met with some of LOSC members to discuss what was required. We said we did not mind if the whole lot of flaxes were not done in one year. We just wanted them to make a start. That hasn't happened, but Council staff have said that they will keep the flaxes trimmed, so we will see...
Boyes beach / Millar Road Wetland:
LO Volunteer Brian Law, at some times assisted by LO volunteer Mike Goodwin, has been quietly working away on weeds in the Millar Road wetland – either cutting out or poisoning or both. They were assisted in tree removal of dead willow that had potential to be problems, by the DOC Wilding Pine team, along with LO volunteers Steve Goodin, Steffen Lotzmann, Mike Goodwin and Brian Law. Thanks to Mike Goodwin, LO volunteer and Paul Cashmore from DOC, for organising this work. Two areas on the edges of the wetland will be ready for planting this winter. As I have said in previous Newsletters, the Millar
Over the drier and warmer summer and autumn months Landcare Okareka volunteers have carried out track maintenance work, fixing holes, etc along the Lake Okareka Walkway. We had expected that RDC would get this work done. We have also had cleaning up working bees at several of the reserves that we have planted and now monitor for weed regrowth, etc.
Lake Okareka Walkway Maintenance:
As far as the Lake Okareka Walkway in concerned (from Acacia Road car park), Landcare Okareka Steering Committee (LOSC) have tried to keep pressure on Rotorua Lakes Council (RLC) to carry out work on removing the large flaxes that were planted along the Walkway, in a couple of sections. Landcare Okareka was NOT involved in planting these flaxes. That planting was done following the planting plan created by Tessa Bunny, Landscape Architect for RDC at that time. To be fair, RLC have recently sent workers from Infracore out to trim some of the flax leaves, so that they are not trip hazards for people using the walkway.
In the past LO volunteers have undertaken trimming of the Phormium tenax flax along the Walkway on numerous occasions...it is quite hard, physical work. Back in April 2015 RDC Parks and Reserves person Brent Smith got Castlecorp to come to remove the flaxes with a digger. It was a bit of a disaster really as the digger they brought to use was much too small and only a few flaxes were dug out and moved. Since then each year LO chases RDC/RLC personnel up to get more of the flaxes moved...nothing happens. This year there was a change in staff at RLC Parks, Recreation and Environment, and Simon Alefosio-Tuck and Richard Dahlenburg actually met with some of LOSC members to discuss what was required. We said we did not mind if the whole lot of flaxes were not done in one year. We just wanted them to make a start. That hasn't happened, but Council staff have said that they will keep the flaxes trimmed, so we will see...
Boyes beach / Millar Road Wetland:
LO Volunteer Brian Law, at some times assisted by LO volunteer Mike Goodwin, has been quietly working away on weeds in the Millar Road wetland – either cutting out or poisoning or both. They were assisted in tree removal of dead willow that had potential to be problems, by the DOC Wilding Pine team, along with LO volunteers Steve Goodin, Steffen Lotzmann, Mike Goodwin and Brian Law. Thanks to Mike Goodwin, LO volunteer and Paul Cashmore from DOC, for organising this work. Two areas on the edges of the wetland will be ready for planting this winter. As I have said in previous Newsletters, the Millar
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