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Counteracting all the residential development and tree felling that is taking place, local environmental groups are doing their best to bolster our green spaces with more native plants.
Just before the weather packed in for the week, volunteers got stuck into a busy day of planting.
On Saturday, July 9, just over 30 people came to Karaka Cove in Red Beach, to extend the newly planted area just off Whangaparāoa Road which was started last year.
Hibiscus Coast Forest & Bird were joined by many of their regular volunteers, Pest Free Hibiscus Coast staff and volunteers, a group from Rotary Ōrewa-Millwater, and Hibiscus & Bays Local Board deputy chair Victoria Short.
Earlier rain meant that the ground soft for easy planting, and 800 trees were planted in less than an hour. This meant the group could put out even more and eventually a total of 1300 plants went in. Species included kahikatea, puriri, manuka and koromiko.
Hibiscus Coast Forest & Bird have been working in partnership with Auckland Council and the community to enhance Karaka Cove Reserve for over 10 years, including pest animal control and bird surveys as well as annual tree plantings.
The plants were organised by Auckland Council Ranger Rose Crooks and laid out by New Zealand Biosecurity Services. There was a further planting day on the same site last weekend, on Sunday July 17.
Estuary edge planted
A concerted effort by around 40 volunteers saw 1400 native plants added along Ōrewa Estuary on Saturday, July 9. The three-hour community planting was organised by Restore Hibiscus & Bays, and focused on Maygrove Esplanade Reserve. Restoration adviser Deborah Colson said this year Restore Hibiscus & Bays has 13,000 native plants to plant in the local board area. At Ōrewa Estuary the planting filled in spaces among existing specimen trees and also along the riparian edge. This helps with the health of the estuary, reducing runoff and sedimentation, as well as providing better habitat for wildlife. A further 1400 plants will go in on August 13 at the next community planting.
