Since the Le Roys Bush volunteers moved to weekly Wednesday working bees, the progress made has been dramatic.
Now some of the work is going to removing grotty environmental weeds from the slopes below private property out of sight of the walking public. And also to tackling some of the lower priority weeds.
This morning Andrew, David and John were digging out rampant wild ginger and climbing asparagus from these slopes. John also cut and pasted a massive elaeagnus bush.
Les continued to work on the blue morning glory and other weeds on the slope at the bottom left of Maritime Tce.
Stuart and Keith pulled out more beggars ticks along the wetland walkway. It was worrying to discover that some of the ticks pulled out two weeks ago had produced flowers - to these were hung to dry out under the bridge. However on the plus side, further down towards Dudding Park, there were native seedlings emerging - tanekaha, matipo, haloragis erecta and others. So we've laid out some branches to help protect them from people and dogs going off track.
This photo shows the beggars ticks with small yellow flowers in amongst some raupo. The yellow flowers develop into black seed heads that cling to clothing and dog fur - and risk spreading this grotty weed around the reserve. If you see it, please pull it out if you can do so without going off track. We'll need to tackle the invasive nutgrass as a next phase.
In this view from the new upper wetland board walk, you may be able to spot hydrangeas and montbretia - fortunately these are not wildly invasive - but a target for a future working bee.
The weed population alongside the walkway that runs from the Three Track Junction towards the waterfall is now looking much more weed free - very few montbretia and beggars ticks. Still quite a few invasive nutgrass. Hopefully if people and animals keep to the track, the natives will regenerate along here naturally - adding to the ecological splendour of the walk.
Further up the stream, this pool is showing signs of serious damage to the bank - with little foliage remaining. Claw marks show on the bank on the track side of the stream. It should be covered with ferns, parataniwha etc like the far side. These plants will help to restore the native fish whose habitat can be destroyed by dogs leaping about. There are unfortunately still a lot of dog owners who are letting their dogs wander off track - damaging the native plants and stream life.
Down towards Dudding Park, Council contractors have been working to make the kauri protection cleaning station accessible to wheel chairs and push chairs. Hopefully the increased access for those who can't easily walk the tracks won't lead to runners and others not bothering to clean their footwear. Council tells us they will soon be upgrading the signage on the Le Roys Tracks - including dogs on leash and no cycling signs. If you have any feedback, please email us at LeRoysBush@gmail.com.
The Dudding Park playing field is getting muddier than ever. It's hard to see how Council will keep the mud from this area being trampled into the bush tracks in winter. At one time they proposed closing the bridge from the nor'west corner of Dudding Park into the reserve. Maybe this should be done each winter?
The volunteers would welcome more members for the weekly Wednesday working bees (10am to noon followed by coffee) or to do small tasks at other times. For example, volunteers to report and remove moth plant, woolly nightshade, madeira vine, wild ginger and cilmbing asparagus from properties around Birkenhead and Northcote. Click here: pestfreekaipatiki.org.nz/pest-plant-resources
The Kauri Glen Bush Protection Society and Pest Free Kaipatiki Restoration Society will be holding a meeting at the Northcote College staff room on Monday 15 March at 7pm. if you live near Kauri Glen or would like to help protect and restore it, please email your details to Nic at Enquiries@pestfreekaipatiki.org.nz.