Blog Archives

Landcare Okareka - December 2015

18/12/2015

Landcare Okareka volunteers have completed a busy year, which has involved several new plantings:

Taumaihi reserve, at the end of Acacia Road
An area along the lake outlet 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 was a joint Landcare Okareka, Rotorua Forest & Bird and Rotorua Botanical Society planting working bee of around 1000 plants provided by Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Department of Conservation
In the reserve area near the entrance to the DOC camp, Millar Road
Some more pohutukawa trees at Silver beach and in the area near the shade shelter.

Maintenance of earlier plantings and new plantings by LO volunteers, is ongoing throughout the year, especially when grass and weeds are growing quickly.

LO volunteers continue to undertake litter pick-ups along roadsides around the settlement as and when the need arises. It was good to see that some of the garden prunings we had noticed earlier in the year, have been removed from road sides and reserves. Keep up the good work and please don't be an untidy local.

Landcare Okareka is in the process of completing a Biodiversity Management Plan with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, which has been worked on over a number of months. We will be very sad to say goodbye to Land Management Officer Stephanie Bathgate who has been extremely supportive of the work that LO volunteers have been doing in the Lake Okareka catchment. However, we also look forward to working with Helen Creagh from Bay of Plenty Regional Council in the coming year.

We hope that we might keep getting some amounts of rain over the next few months to help the new plantings. If you are down near the new pohutukawa trees on the Lake Okareka Walkway please feel free to look for the bucket and give the plants a drink from the lake, especially if it does get very dry.

In the meantime, I would just like to thank everyone who has come to help at any Working Bees throughout the year. Have a safe and relaxing Christmas and I wish everyone a really great 2016. Watch out for the Landcare Okareka sign boards to go up in 2016 - and please feel free to come and help.

Sandra Goodwin
Secretary
Landcare Okareka
07 3628 865
sgoodwin@actrix.co.nz

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RAT BAIT AND BAIT STATIONS - SUMMER 2015

18/12/2015

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also pleasing that more lakeside properties now have rat bait stations. It would be great to have even more of these properties and their owners as part of this project. There is still rat bait available and it is a very good idea to keep the bait stations stocked up to help protect nesting and fledgling bird life over the next couple of months.

Ditrac rat bait provided by Bay of Plenty Regional Council is, once again available to individual property owners, to support enhancing the biodiversity at Lake Okareka, especially the wetland dwelling birds, including the endangered dab chicks. If you are interested to take part in this project, but maybe feel that you do not come to your property often enough to keep the bait station full, please contact us. We may be able to work out a partnering system with someone who lives here permanently, and is prepared to keep your bait station filled. Ditrac is a poison, and care must be taken when using it.

How to Use Ditrac Bait:
It is recommended that bait be fed in a type of bait station, fitted with a locating rod, that does not allow the rats to carry baits away to be stored. The baits have holes in them and they thread onto the rod. Rats and mice eat the bait in the bait station. The bait station protects the bait from the weather. It means also that bait cannot be eaten by non-target species such as birds, dogs, cats and children.

Bait stations are available by contacting Mike and Sandra Goodwin 3628 865 or email sgoodwin@actrix.co.nz. We have a new type of lockable bait station, like a small suitcase. They also have locating pins for the bait. Cost of these is $25.

Do you have a bait station already?
That's great if you do. When you collect your bait you will need to confirm your name and address and the address of the bait station. We need to update our data base about bait stations and where they are located throughout Okareka – and many thanks to everyone who has done this so far.

How do I get bait now?
Bait is available in labelled, zip lock bags, containing 12 rat baits. This is enough bait to fill one bait station 2 times during a month. Bait stations should usually not be filled more than twice during a month, otherwise you are wasting bait and feeding potentially dead rats and mice.

If you require the bait or a lockable bait station for $20, please contact Mike & Sandra Goodwin phone 3628 865, 2 Pryce Road or Rod Stace phone 3628 523, 30 Summit Road.

Please phone first to arrange a suitable time to collect bait or a bait station.

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NO DOGS AT LAKE OKAREKA CAMPGROUND PLEASE

18/12/2015

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Visitors to campsites around Rotorua are asked to leave dogs at home in the interests of visitor safety and enjoyment.

DOC administers 6 campsites in the Rotorua District including the Lake Okareka Campground off Millar Road. All of these campsites are governed by the Reserves Act which does not permit dogs. The Wildlife Act, the Conservation Act and the Rotorua Lakes Council (RLC) dog control bylaws also prohibit dogs from these areas.

DOC is currently working with campsite managers across the district to make sure signage, web content and visitor information is consistent with legislation.

RLC administer a number of public spaces that are designated dog exercise areas. Further information can be found at www.rdc.govt.nz. A fact sheet relating to dogs in conservation areas is available from rotorua@doc.govt.nz .

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OKAREKA WALKING TRACK REPORT - DECEMBER 2015

18/12/2015

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Volunteers will continue to work on the new Lake Okareka Walking Track over the coming weeks and months. Working Bees are usually held on the first Saturday of each month, and on Wednesday afternoons/early evenings after work. If you would like to know more please contact Sandra 3628 865 and I can add your name to the email list for these working bees.

I am very pleased to report that applications for funding to go towards paying for the construction and materials for the boardwalks and foot bridges for the walking track from Boyes beach to the Dept of Conservation camp have been very generously supported by several charitable funding agencies. Grants have been made by the following: First Sovereign Trust Ltd $5,000.00; The Southern Trust $20,000; Four Winds Foundation Ltd $10,000 and Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust $50,000 - a total of $85,000. Our thanks go to each of these funding agencies for their very generous support which is much appreciated. Along with money that has been saved from the management of the Millar Road, Department of Conservation camp, we now have sufficient funds to complete all of the work required for the track.

Currently the Lake Okareka Walking Track Committee is working on a building contract which will need to be signed off by the approved builder, the LOCA Committee and checked through by the Department of Conservation. We hope to get that all completed before Christmas so that the builder can order the materials and be ready to begin work on the professionally constructed parts of the track early in 2016.

We are aware that many people are already using the track, even though it is still under construction. Please be careful when using it, especially areas where you have to cross a small stream, or where volunteers are working. Once the builder begins work there may be areas that you will not be able to use at times. Please be aware that the track is still under construction and obey any signage or safety tapes or barriers that may be put up.

There is still much work to be done, and any volunteer help with the project is most welcome. We look forward to the completion of this project in 2016.

Sandra Goodwin
On behalf of Lake Okareka Walking Track
Committee

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