2011 Newsletters

Le Roys Bush Newsletter - 1 Nov 2011

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“Good Neighbours” Sunday 13 Nov 2011 - Maritime Tce

Sunday 13 November - This "Good Neighbours" working bee is to follow up the successful programme undertaken in 2009. This programme removed weed species such large wattle and acmena trees which were spreading into the reserve and into other people's gardens. along escarpment below Maritime Terrace where private propery adjoins the wetland. The plan is to follow up the 2009 programme by pulling out any wattle, acmena, willow and other seedlings on either side of the reserve boundary. We will be contacting neighbours to seek their participation.

§ Please bring your favourite spade and gumboots.

§ You may also like to bring a water bottle and clothing/sunscreen to suit the conditions

§ Meet at the bottom of the garden below 3/60 Maritime Terrace from 10am to noon on Sunday 13 November 2011

If you live in Maritime adjoining the wetland but cannot take part on the day but would like to help this initiative, please email LeRoysBush@gmail.com or phone 021-240-9414 weekends and we will make a time to visit you.

Rat control programme - restoring the bird life

Adrian Meys has been working with David Moverly of Te Ngahere and a fantastic group of volunteers to lay lockable bait stations in upper Le Roys Bush - both in the reserve and on adjoining private property. The programme will soon start in the lower end of the reserve. Volunteers are recording the baits taken and replenished in spreadsheets which will be collated and used to provide factual evidence for further pest control activities.

The enthusiastic turnout is a heart-warming reminder of how much local people value their bush reserves.

If you are not already involved and would like to help, go to www.leroysbush.org.nz and click on our web page Rat, possum and stoat control for more details.

Track network in Kaipatiki Local Board area

The Kaipatiki Local Board Plan is showing promising support for Kaipatiki’s magnificent bush reserves and for developing a network of tracks for the benefit of local people and visitors who like to jog, walk and explore our beautiful natural heritage. Congratulations to our board members for their good work in this direction.

Bush restoration and Guy Fawkes

Luckily the Environment Court (not the Conservation Court as the first edition of this newsletter said -- thanks to Steve for spotting this) over-ruled the RMA Amendment which would have removed the protection given by the local council to the bush-clad slopes around the Le Roys Bush, Little Shoal Bay, Lutners and other reserves. But Guy Fawkes is nearly on us again – please keep a look out for anti-social behaviour around bush reserves during the fireworks period and report any problems promptly to the Police or Fire Department. The risk is not only to the native flora and fauna but to properties around the reserve.

Native fish life in Le Roys – whitebait and eels

Dr Kit Hustler a scientist teaching at Northcote College continues his ground-breaking studies of native fish such as banded kokopu and inanga (their young are commonly known as whitebait) in Le Roys Bush and other nearby bush reserves. The kokopu and inanga habitat is under threat from erosion and polluted water in the streams. The Council has by-laws to discourage the release of swimming pool, car washing and industrial water into the streams and harbour. Please do what you can to increase awareness of the need to keep polluted water from our bush streams.

You can report suspected pollution events – call the Auckland Council’s Pollution Hotline 377 3107 as soon as possible. Council officers will need to know the exact location of the pollution event and a description (what it looks like, any smell, where you think it’s coming from). Time is of the essence as water pollution has a habit of not staying in one place, making it very hard to trace it back to source.

Look out for things in streams like soapy suds, large amounts of oil (that coalesces when you poke it with a stick, there is a bacteria that produces a oil slick that breaks up with poking), muddiness in the water when there hasn’t been rain for more than a day, eels and other fish in distress and the sewage smell (and associated particles like toilet paper!).

A very common pollution occurrence in the Le Roys neighbourhood is people washing their cars on the street or driveways with the detergent making its way along the gutters and into the drains that connect to the stream. Detergent is often chock full of phosphorus that can adversely affect freshwater life. Often all people need is a friendly reminder of the consequences of their actions – this is what the pollution officers do every day so utilise their skills!

Please also remember that the native long-fin eel is a species seriously at risk.

Eels breed at the end of their life-cycle so it is important not to take any large eels for food or sport.

See http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-animals/fish/facts/eel/ for more information about their breeding life-cycle.

Gumboots or stout boots are essential! You may also like to bring gardening gloves, suitable clothes for the weather, a water bottle. We have some spare spades - but please bring your own if you can.

Cold drinks and bickies will be provided. Please bring your own lunch if you can work through the lunchbreak. If you can't make it in the morning, please come along in the afternoon.

For more details, please go to our website www.leroysbush.org.nz - postponement details will be posted here if necessary. For urgent messages on the day - please text Keith on 021-240-9414

Naturally Smarter programme in Le Roys Bush

The Naturally Smarter programme continues in Le Roys Bush to foster native plants as a way to help control erosion in Le Roys Bush and the Little Shoal Bay catchment. The next planting day is on Sunday 7 August 2011 - 10am to noon.

Please note this date in your diary. More details will be available soon.

RMA Amendment and the Environment Court Decision

You may have read that the Environment Court decision has made a decision which will, we hope, protect the Le Roys Bush and Little Shoal Bay reserves. However, there has been talk that there may be an appeal against the Environment Court decision – putting the reserves at risk again. If this occurs, we encourage you to speak up for the democratic decision made by our local council to protect bush around the reserves from encroachment by development which would detract from the environment that so many local residents came here to enjoy.

The Kaipatiki Local Board

Our new local board is showing good signs of supporting the preservation of the beautiful native bush reserves that are a key feature of the Kaipatiki area. They are also supportive of the plans to map a network of tracks between the reserves. Watch this space.

Many thanks to

• Volunteers from the BNZ "Closed for Good" project who helped weed and mulch the top end of Le Roys behind the Highbury shops

• Steve Cook of EcoScience for his generosity in many areas

• Nicki Malone and Tony Hart of the Auckland Council for all their assistance

• Kit Hustler, Megan Beard and Tracey-Lee Pettifer for their expert guidance at the last glow-worm walk

• Russell Webb at Tree Fellas

• All our hard-working committee and other volunteers

Very best wishes – we look forward to seeing you at the planting bees.

Carol Hosking (Chair) and Keith Salmon (Project Manager)

Le Roys Bush and Little Shoal Bay Management Committee

· For other items of interest, see our website: www.leroysbush.org.nz

This newsletter was emailed to people who have indicated an interest in Le Roys Bush and Little Shoal Bay Reserves or related matters.

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