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A new community group tackling one of Mangawhai Community Park’s most invasive weeds is calling on volunteers to help remove it before it smothers even more native vegetation.
The Mangawhai Community Park weed warriors, formed by Jes Magill and Kelly Creaghan with support from Piroa Conservation Trust, will hold its first monthly working bee on September 20 in a bid to get rid of the aggressive climbing asparagus.
For Jes, the push to tackle the weed is personal, and comes after her dog Charlie became trapped in a thick patch of climbing asparagus while she and her husband Richard were walking through the park.
As they walked, the couple noticed Charlie was not beside them. After heading back along the track, they found him completely enclosed in the mass of climbing asparagus.
“Charlie couldn’t move. We’re just grateful he hadn’t gone too far off the path where we couldn’t see him, because he possibly wouldn’t have barked. It made us think that something had to be done, and we realised we needed to be part of the solution.”
With help from the Mangawhai community and supported by Piroa Conservation Trust, Jes and Kelly are planning a monthly “full-on assault” on climbing asparagus.
“Climbing asparagus is a silent assassin, smothering even grown trees, as it climbs up to four metres. Frequent visitors to the park will have seen this aggressive plant taking over,” Jes says.
Volunteers will work to free native trees and plants by cutting the climbing asparagus at its base and pulling back the fronds. The prepared areas will later be sprayed to control regrowth.
Once the climbing asparagus is under control, native vegetation will have more opportunity to thrive. A planting day is planned for May next year, using plants donated by the Trust’s community nursery.
Jes and Kelly are keen to get the whole community behind the initiative.
“The more hands the better. Together we can make a real difference in restoring this prized and unique community park for everyone’s enjoyment. It’s a fun, satisfying and healthy activity the whole family can get stuck into, so come along.”
The working bee will be held on the third Sunday of every month from 9am to 11am, starting Sunday, September 20.
Volunteers are invited to meet at the park’s Bowling Club entrance. Bring gardening gloves, shears or garden scissors. Some gear will be available on site. Parking is behind the club near the pétanque court.
For more information, contact Kelly on 021 208 5475 or Jes on 027 537 4017 or visit Mangawhai Community Park Weed Warriors on Facebook.
