2014 Newsletters

If you haven't received these newsletters and would like to, please email us at leroysbush@gmail.com asking to subscribe.

Le Roys Bush update - 10 December 2014

The following items have been noted on the LeRoysBush facebook site - but no email has been sent.

Le Roys Bush news - 19 November 2014

Coming events in Le Roys Bush - we'd love to see you there

    • Friday 21 November - 6.30pm - a nature discovery walk with Auckland's bat expert - click here for more info - meet by Bowling Club

    • Sunday 23 November - 10am to noon - working bee - click here for more info - meet

    • Sunday 7 December - 1.30pm - Little Shoal Bay Beach cleanup - keep an eye on the Birkenhead Residents Association website nearer the time

Other news about Le Roys Bush

  • Highbury Bush Walk project - the first "on the ground" meeting was held today (19 November) to initiate work for the new walkway from Highbury (opposite the Library) down the valley joining the Onewa Road track just above the waterfall. One aspect of this project will be an education programme to increase awareness amongst pet owners of the importance of protecting our native fish and other features of Le Roys Bush.

  • Clearing work will begin in December this year and construction will start in the new year. The contractor is the Decker Landscaping Company. All workers on site will be required to use trigene to clear their boots and tools before the enter the bush. The contractor will take care to avoid damaging trees or allowing pollutants to enter the soil or stream. There will be fencing along parts of the track to minimise the risk that people or pets will stray from the path putting the kauri or native fish at risk.

    • Kaipatiki Local Board dog control - you will probably be aware by now of the KLB's new rules concerning dogs in local bush reserves which require dogs to be kept on leash within Le Roys Bush. For more background see item 73 in the KLB Dog Control report August 2014.

    • Highbury planning - public meeting - as you may be aware, Council and the Kaipatiki Local Board has been consulting for a number of years with the Birkenhead Town Centre Association and other groups about enhancements to the Highbury Town Centre. The BCTA is convening a meeting soon to provide the public with the opportunity to learn more about the plans. Of particular interest from a Le Roys Bush perspective is the proposed "bush connection" planned for the council-owned property on Birkenhead Ave between the bank and the stationery shop. Other projects include changes to Mokoia Road and a proposed town square. In due course,the Birkenhead Residents Association web page will have more details of this meeting. If you want to be kept informed of the date of the meeting, please email LeRoysBush@gmail.com. Note - there is a KLB feedback day on Sunday 9 December from 10 to 2 outside the library - see http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/newseventsculture/OurAuckland/News/Pages/improvingbirkenheadstowncentre.aspx for more details.

Rat and possum and weed control in Le Roys Bush

Thanks to all the volunteers who have been looking after the rat bait stations in and around Le Roys Bush for over 3 years to help keep our native birds, geckos and other wildlife free from rats and other predators.

We have just received fresh supplies of rat bait - so if you are running low, please email LeRoysBush@gmail.com to request more supplies. This project is part of a city wide project to protect our natural heritage and biodiversity. As part of this, we will be providing new forms to record simple data about the number of bait blocks used..

We have had a report of possums in a house bordering Le Roys in late October. If you are aware of possums in or near Le Roys Bush, please email us at LeRoysBush@gmail.com with details.

Our contractor EcoScience has been making good progress with weed control in the Little Shoal Bay wetland - although the bad weather has seriously reduced the days when it is possible for him to work. The new volunteer coordinator Shane has made good progress in working with Council contractors to advise our group of the work being undertaken in the reserve.

Beyond the Fence project around Le Roys Bush

The Beyond the Fence project is making good progress with more weed control work undertaken in Seaview Ave and Maritime Terrace. Planting has also taken place below the neighbours involved in the Seaview Ave group.

Many thanks to the BTF project committee, the KLB and Council staff for their support.

For more information about BTF, go to Beyond the Fence - communities working together to restore our native bush

The connections we have developed with Council agencies have proved useful. A local family with a large bush section with mature kauri has members of the public walking through. We were able to put them in touch with the Kauri Dieback people who will provide cleaning stations for the section.

We look forward to seeing you at some of these events

Best wishes​ for the the summer season from your committee

Le Roys Bush news - 19 November 2014

  • General news about Le Roys Bush

    • The large bush section at 95C Hinemoa Street with access from Learmonth Ave is back on the market at $2.5m looking for a developer. How can we ensure that the Kaipatiki Local Board and the Auckland Council gives this hectare of bush maximum protection under the SEA (Significant Ecological Area).

    • The rat, possum and other rodent control programme in Le Roys Bush is moving to a new phase. At a meeting with the Council and their contractor BioSecurity NZ Ltd, it was agreed that BioSecurity would do all the pest animal control within the reserve proper using new type of rat bait stations and baits. The programme in back yards will continue with the same bait stations and baits. We will be in touch about this soon - watch the page Rat, possum and stoat control.

    • A Northcote College student is developing some great signage for the new walkway from the waterfall to Highbury - work is now due to start on the track this summer. Her signage will encourage people to understand the needs of the banded kokopu who make their home and breed in the upper streams and pools.

    • The Northcote College native fish research led by Dr Hustler continues to monitor the location and development of native fish in Le Roys. Amongst other fish identified, recently they found 4 large (225mm) banded kokopu in the LRB stream . There are also young whitebait in the stream up to the waterfall.

Parts of the stream have become heavily silted. We have walked the stream that leads from the junction of the three streams looking for signs of where the siltation comes from but didn't find any obvious single cause - although there is a slip (see photo below) in the valley going up to Hinemoa Street.

This photo shows some of the old earthenware pipes that run down the streamline towards the 3 track junction. The centre photo shows a small slip area which may be contributing to the pools being silted up? On the rights is a banded kokopu which has been caught humanely in a fish trap, then transferred to this box for weighing, measuring and photograph. Back at the lab, the date are recorded for research purpose and to allow identification of each individual fush using their patterns of stripes. (Wish we'd done this sort of science when I was at school!)

    • There is no monthly working bee for October - the usual date clashes with Labour Weekend. But please get in touch if you'd like to help with ad hoc working bees.

    • Our thanks go to the Parks Department for clearing the trees blown down in the storm promptly during winter. And for re-gravelling the track from Le Roy Tce down to the 3 stream junction.

  • Other bush restoration news from the North Shore

    • The Le Roys Bush team have really appreciated the excellent work done by the Parks Department Volunteer and Biodiversity Coordinator, Paul Duffy, over the past few years. He has given us excellent advice and assistance. His enthusiasm is contagious. Unfortunately for us he has been seconded to another project. Our loss is Devonport/Takapuna's gain. His position is being filled for the next 6 months by a staff member from BioSecurity Ltd.

    • Have you heard about Forest and Bird's proposed NaturePath walkway?

    • Here's a link to the Forest and Bird site about protecting the dotterell sites in Shoal Bay

    • For further comments see https://sites.google.com/site/walkbikeridekaipatiki/

      • The Kaipatiki Restoration Network has its 2 monthly meeting in October - the guest will be Jane Sparkes from Auckland Council talking about her role in preventing the spread of native weeds. We'll report back on this in due course.

  • General bush restoration news - A paper released in August 2014 puts the case for Kanuka having 10 species

For those of us who can tell manuka with its prickly leaves from kanuka with its soft (kind) leaves, we now have more to learn about kanuka. A recently published paper tells us that Kanuka actually consists of 10 species. Of these Kunzea robusta is the most common, and is the species which most people have been erroneously calling K. ericoides - it is the largest species in the genus, and the most wide ranging (North and South Islands).

Here's some links with more details:

http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/news_detail.aspx?ID=489

http://phytokeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=1924

Newsflash for Birkenhead Point people - Sunday 12 October 2014

  • You are invited to the spring Birkenhead Point Community Event - 3 to 5pm Sunday 12 October 2014 - Ravenhill - corner of Rugby Road and Hinemoa Street

The BEYOND THE FENCE project invites you to "Wine & Weeds" at the RAVENHILL COURTYARD on Rugby Road 3.00pm to 5.00pm Sunday 12 October 2014 - delicious food provided, you buy the drinks.

SPECIAL HIGHLIGHT: It's the right time to spring clean your garden! Bring a sample of the weed that annoys you most and our team of experts will identify each plant plus suggest ways of controlling them. display boards and pamphlets will provide additional information.

For more info contact: 09-418-2971.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS/SUPPORTERS: Whole Health Company and the Gecko Trust, Auckland Council and the Le Roys Bush Management Committee

We look forward to seeing you at Ravenhill for a friendly Sunday afternoon catch u

If you are not already a member of the Birkenhead Point Facebook Page or the Birkenhead section of Neighbourly.co.nz, please reply to this email and we will send you an invitation to join.

Sent on behalf of the Beyond the Fence Project and the Birkenhead Point Community Group by the Le Roys Bush and Little Shoal Bay Management Committee

This email has been sent to you because you have indicated that you are interested in receiving information about your local Birkenhead Point Community Group and/or the Le Roys Bush management committee or the Beyond the Fence group. To unsubscribe, reply stating PLEASE UNSUBSCRIBE ME in the subject header

Newsflash re Working Bee 24 August 2014

Sent 21 August 2014 to supporters who live or work near Highbury, regular working bee attendees, and people with an interest in the new walkway:

Hi all

I hope this email finds you well and enjoying the bits of improving weather.

This weekend, we are having a low key weeding bee in Highbury from 10am to noon.

If you could spare an hour or two, we'd love to see you.

Just come down the driveway at 81 Birkenhead Ave - between the new ice cream shop and the re-vamped Slipp Inn - now called "The Good Home". If you can't see me, just call me on 021-240-9414. I regret that there is not much parking down the driveway. You may be safer parking nearby.

Full details of what to wear and bring can be found at: https://sites.google.com/site/leroysbushauckland/what-s-coming-up

And here's a few news items:

    • We met recently with a student from Northcote College who as part of her NCEA programme is working on a very promising project about protecting the banded kokopu which breed in the streams up near Highbury. We hope that this will form part of an education programme and signage for the new walkway when it is opened this summer

    • The hectare of bush at 95C Hinemoa Street is still on the market - apparently none of the bids was successful

    • The Beyond the Fence project is progressing well - the Seaview Ave group has been a great success - a Council officer did a follow up weed control; a planting bee is due soon. The team is working on the next project site - get in touch if you would like to be part of this.

Regards Keith

For the committee

www.leroysbush.org.nz

Newsflash 5 July 2014

On 5 July 2014 21:16, Le Roys Bush <leroysbush@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all friends and supporters of Le Roys Bush

This is a quick newsflash to (1) remind you of an event tomorrow and (2) alert you to the possible development of a bush block at 95C Hinemoa Street:

(1) Birkenhead Backyard Nature Discovery Walk tomorrow (Sunday) 6 July 2014 2.30 pm

This walk led by local botanist Bec Stanley will look at the plants in Le Roys Bush - which ones have always been here, which ones have just arrived and aren't so welcome.

The walk leaves at 2.30pm from the Bowling Club Carpark, Little Shoal Bay Reserve (near the foot bridge).

For more details click here: www.leroysbush.org.nz(What'sComingUp)

(2) Tender for bush area between Learmonth Place and Hinemoa Street - what might the impact be?

You may be aware that the large bush block adjoining the south side of Glade Place and Hinemoa Street is up for tender. The advertisement says "The sheer size and magnificent setting means options are endless and limited only to the imagination - whether it's several dwellings, or just two or three unique, high-end residences discretely placed within this unique setting." But some residents are concerned that the Draft Unitary Plan would allow a minimum section size of 500 sq.m on this 12329 sq.m block.

We are planning a meeting with our Kaipatiki Local Board members and hopefully some Council experts for later this week. We hope that they will be able to answer questions as to what protection might be afforded to this arm of the beautiful Le Roys Bush. Also to tell us how the SEA (Significant Ecological Area) zoning for this block will protect the interests of neighbours and the environment. Not to mention the rare native green geckos that are breeding in this area.

For more details click on www.leroysbush.org.nz after Monday evening or email us at mailto:leroysbush@gmail.com

Many thanks, your Le Roys Bush Committee

Web: www.leroysbush.org.nz

You are receiving this email because you have expressed interest in Le Roys Bush or related activities. If you do not wish to receive emails from us again, please reply stating "Please unsubscribe me from LeRoysBush@gmail.com" in the subject line.

Le Roys Bush Newsflash - May 2014

(revised draft 17 May 2014)

Hi All

Working bee in Le Roys Bush - Sunday 25 May from 10am to noon

There will be a "bush restoration" working bee on Sunday 25 May at 10am to noon.

This will be our first working bee under the new "Beyond the Fence" initiative.

We recommend that you bring gardening gloves and gumboots (or other stout footwear) - see the web page for more details of what to bring and contact details in case of postponement.

Meeting place is at 31 Seaview Ave.

Neighbourly - building connections around Birkenhead and Northcote

The Le Roys Bush Committee and the Beyond the Fence group are collaborating with the Birkenhead Emergency Response Group and other local groups to promote the Neighbourly social network site with a view to building a stronger more connected community. There are already over 60 Birkenhead people subscribed with a few more joining from day to day. There are already much larger number in the St Heliers/eastern suburbs area. The site has given careful thought to protecting your privacy and security while enabling you to share appropriate information with your neighbourhood.

We anticipate that it will be a useful way to alert people to what's going on in the community and in our local reserves.

How can you learn more:

How to join:

Ad Hoc working bees in Highbury

Small ad hoc working bees are being held in Highbury to redress the damage done when a local resident asked contractors to fell privets on their property. The privets fell across the upper Le Roys Bush reserve damaging plantings undertaken by volunteers over previous years and also damaging mature natives. This was very disappointing but Council was unable to get any redress from the person responsible.

If you'd like to help with these ad hoc working bees, please email LeRoysBush@gmail.com. or keep an eye on https://sites.google.com/site/leroysbushauckland/what-s-coming-up

Support from Auckland Council

We are delighted to advise that Le Roys Bush has been awarded another EIF grant for 2014 from Auckland Council. Our grateful thanks to the Auckland Council and the Environmental Improvement Fund. Thanks also to the Parks and the Natural Environment Departments for their advice and assistance.

Our grateful thanks to the Auckland Council and the Environmental Improvement Fund.

These grants are essential to allow us to employ specialised contractors who can work in the deep wetland where it is unsuitable for volunteers to venture. Their work since 2007 has eliminated the crack willow and pampas grass which were dominating the wetland until that time. The contractor also helps to control a range of other pest plants (such as privet, woolly nightshade, blue morning glory, wattle, gorse) which regrow from the existing seedbank or brought in by wind or birds from surrounding properties.

Unfortunately, these Council grants do not cover all the weed control that is needed to maintain the natural biodiversity of the beautiful Le Roys Bush wetlands. So we rely on volunteers and neighbours to continue your valuable efforts.

Unfortunately our January and February working bees could not proceed. However, we look forward to seeing you at the next working bee on the 4th Sunday of March - 10am to noon. See https://sites.google.com/site/leroysbushauckland/what-s-coming-up

Highbury to Waterfall walkway and the return of the kokopu

Work is due to start soon on the walkway from Highbury to the waterfall. The project team has made some route changes to address concerns with trees and to deal with the terrain and other constraints. Work should be completed by September 2014.

We are delighted to report that the kokopu are returning to the pools up above the waterfall. Despite the fact that kokopu can climb the waterfall, they are very shy of dogs. And it is important that we find ways to ensure that dogs do not roam loose in this part of the reserve.

Our committee met with John Gillon and Ann Hartley of the Kaipatiki Local Board as well as with Council officers from Parks, Bio-Security and Stormwater during February and March to discuss solutions to having our track and our kokopu.

The walk revealed that weeds are growing fast below the Rosella Apartments - so we'll check if Council contractors will be addressing these. In the meantime we are holding ad hoc working bees. This is a disappointing site where the property owner felled privet trees on their boundary so that they landed on our native plantings and make access to the site very difficult. Regrettably, further garden rubbish has been dumped over the back fence and is sprouting.

Kauri Dieback Cleaning Stations - please encourage people to use them!

You'll no doubt have read of reserves around Auckland where the kauri are dieing.

We are very keen to ensure that we keep ours. Many thanks to Michael of Onewa Road who keeps the cleaning stations topped up. He is investigating adding three further stations - including one down by Dudding Park to help protect the kauri that grow on the north side of the walkway by the wetland. Please remember to keep your children and dogs to the tracks to protect the kauri.

King Tide at Little Shoal Bay

The weekend of Sunday 2 Feb 2014 saw king tides around the Waitemata causing die-off of the grass and even a large area of raupo.

People came out in scores to swim, sail, canoe and paddle-board.

This photo shows sea-water across Dudding Park and the Little Shoal Bay Boatowners Assn haulout area.

High tides continue to kill the grass on the Dudding Park field with some salt tolerant plants starting to emerge.

Auckland Kereru Project

Here is a note from Alice Baranyovits earlier in 2014: "I'm a PhD student at the University of Auckland studying the movements of urban kereru and seed dispersal of both native and introduced plants. I've recently set up a website (http://aucklandkereruproject.weebly.com/) where members of the public can pass on kereru sightings and/or information on what fruiting plants, both native and introduced, that they have in their gardens."

Best wishes from your committee

PS if you have other news about Le Roys please email it to us or share it on our Facebook page