2010 Events and Achievements

News of recent events:

Weeding Day and BBQ - 21 November 1010

This was the last scheduled working bee of the year - and it aimed to prepare ground ready for our contractor to control tradescantia and other creeprs.

Thanks to all who turned up to help clear the weeds around the pumphouse on the south edge of the wetland: Steve, Glenda, Helen, Ken, Geoff, Megan, Keith, Bridget and Samuel

It was a bit blustery to BBQ at Little Shoal Bay so we repaired to Awanui Street - many thanks to Lynn for hosting a sudden party! Thanks also to Carol, Dave, James, Isobel, Susan, Mike and Ron for their contribution at the BBQ.

Thanks to all who turned up to help.

Planting Day and Unveiling of Signage - 7 November 2010

Jonathan Coleman, local MP, joined the Le Roys Bush group and Council officers to unveil the new interpretative signage for Le Roys Bush and to help plant native grasses, shrubs and cabbage trees around the wetland area between Glade Place and Valley Road.

In unveiling the signage, Carol Hosking thanked the many people involved in helping prepare the signage. Jonathan Coleman spoke of the importance of the contribution of volunteers and the need to protect the bush on private land around the reserve.

Many thanks to all who participated including: Jonathan Coleman, Grant Gillon (Local Board member), Carol Hosking (chair LRB&LSBMC), Glenda Bostwick, Megan Beard, Jo Campbell (all involved in the Council's Naturally Smarter project and the signage design), Holly Stannard (who help layout the plants) and volunteers Brendan, Henry, Davey, Ben, Spike, Dave, Isobel, Werner, Lynne, Don, Eloise, Dorothy, John, Rafael, and some whose names I have overlooked (let me know please) and committee members Susan Holmes, Helen Renwick, Geoff and Lynda Tisch and Keith Salmon. Also many thanks to Anthony from the CEF fund and Justin from the design team who did the graphics - thanks for your work and support and to you and your partner/family for coming along this morning.

Footnote: watering - some of the plants may require watering over the summer. If you are passing by, please use the watter bottle which will be hidden under the bridge at the Valley Road junction end to water the plants on dry land.

Conservation Volunteers - 3 November 2010

See http://groups.google.com/group/leroys-bush-and-little-shoal-bay/web/recent-activity-east-of-highbury

The Highbury Cleanup - 19 September 2010 - Keep NZ Beautiful Week

The KNZB week cleanup was a great success - we nearly filled a jumbo bin with rubbish including a security safe, an engine block, a stove, a fridge, corrugated iron, a copper toilet, a fence, a cistern, pipes, and a heap of other stuff. Here's a shot of the big find of the day - a security safe and the jumbo bin stuffed with rubbish.

We also spread some mulch around the start of the walking track on the council property and around some of the mahoe planted last year. Major improvements achieved.Many thanks to Alice, Barry, Helen, Oscar, Finlay, Lisa, Stuart, Ben, Davey, Carol, Eloise, Don, Keith and others.

Some of the group will return to plant karaka trees and to spread the rest of the mulch. If you would like to help, please phone Keith Salmon 021 240 9414..

Congratulations: to Bridget and Ron - on their birth of their baby son Samuel

Highbury Working Bees:

9am Sunday 15 August - Helen, Susan and Mike, Megan, Don, Geoff, Carol & Keith planted a variety of mahoe, karaka and carexes in the upper area of Le Roys below the Westpac building and below Rosella apartments. Geoff planted some kowhai grown by Steve below the stationers shop.

Many thanks to Geoff and Lynda who did a weekday plant.

And to: John and Pat Chapple (donation of karaka); Steve Matthews (donation of kowhai and other trees)

Conservation Volunteers working bee at Rods Island - 6 July 2010

Nicki Malone, the city wide parks officer, organised a working bee on Tuesday with helpers from the Conservation Volunteers group. They planted 22 cabbage trees and spread 3 cu metres of mulch. This will be a big help in keeping the margins of Rods Island (at the bottom of Maritime Tce) looking good and weed-free.

Spreading Mulch - East of Highbury - Sunday 13 and 20 June 2010

Thanks very much to Russell Webb of Tree Fellas for delivering a big truckload of mulch on Saturday.

And thanks also to the team of people (Carol, Dave, Finlay, Helen, Isobel, James, Jenny, Ken, Kate, Lisa, Lynn, Phil, Ron, Tom, Don and Eloise) who turned out at short notice to help spread the mulch. The area is looking better and better. And there are fewer weed to spread down the stream.

Thanks to: "Fo" the friendly fantail who turned out on 19 and 20 April and helped remind us all what the bush can bring to Highbury.

We learnt from Stephen, who owns one of the other properties adjoining the reserve, that the native trees you can see above on the Kordamentha property were planted by the NSCC after they did significant work on the drains on the Kordamentha property.