Trip Report – 9 June 2012:   Te Marua Bush workbee

On a fine morning, nineteen keen people from BotSoc and Upper Hutt Forest and Bird planted and weeded the area.   Thirty-eight plants were needed to fill gaps in the second southwest extension and the northeast extension.   Spraying had been completed before the workbee, but some patches of foxgloves, and the ever-resistant tradescantia, will need regular attention.   The first southwest extension needed light wells opening up to provide growing room for the podocarps.   The snow in August 2011, and cicadas in summer, left many damaged and dying branches, so these were pruned, which will let in light for the numerous seedlings appearing.

Participants :   Bev Abbott, Bruce Austin, Trudi Bruhlmann, Roz Brown, Gavin Dench, Anthony Hill, Chris Hopkins, Chris Horne, Rodney Lewington, Sue Millar, Barbara and Ann Mitcalfe, Graeme, Glennis and Allan Sheppard, Darea Sherratt, Sunita Singh, Julia Stace, Wynn Udall.

Trip Report – 17 November 2012:   Te Marua Bush workbee 2012

Since our May workbee, tall grasses and other weeds have grown vigorously, especially in the southern extension where we had added new plants.   We cleared around these, using cut grass and other weeds as mulch to suppress further weed growth and loss of moisture.   Most of the new plants are doing well, though some black maire had yellowish foliage.   We shall add slow-release fertiliser to these to improve their chances, as the soil there is sparse and stony.   Older trees in this area, and in the northern strip beside the Pony Club paddock, have put on good growth, providing better shelter for the younger plants, but the problem with convolvulus smothering some plants continues.

The team worked through the oldest planted areas, and the original Bush, to find and remove patches of weeds, including many cherry and sycamore seedlings.   There is a very good number and mixture of native seedlings growing under the larger trees now.   Since the snow-damage of 2011, some large canopy gaps are providing more light in the Bush and seedlings are growing well as a result.

Many thanks to the team of BotSoc and Forest and Bird members who cheerfully give their time twice a year to allow this expanding remnant to remain healthy and to prevent takeover by a mixture of opportunistic weed species.

Participants :   Bev Abbott, Trudi Bruhlmann, Steve Edwards (GWRC Ranger), Anthony Hill, Chris Horne, Rodney Lewington, Sue Millar (co- leader / scribe), Barbara Mitcalfe, Grant Roberts, Nick Saville, Allan, Glennis (co-leader) and Graeme Sheppard.