Friends of Wairoa Stream receive a Community Board grant
A key objective of Friends of Wairoa Stream (FOWS) is to link essentially weed free bush remnants with our native plantings and our enhancement of regenerating native bush to form a near continuous wildlife corridor.
An ambitious goal is to make Wairoa Stream the only weed free area of Kerikeri, which is possibly the weed capital of the world.
Tree Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) is a highly invasive alien weed species. We have found that the new understory in parts was well on its way to becoming a Tree Privet (and Taiwan Cherry) forest with its myriad of seedlings outcompeting native species, while the mature Privet trees form the canopy and shade out new growth. Privet pollen can affect some Asthma sufferers.
FOWS has eliminated many Tree Privets (and Taiwan Cherries) but applied for, and have received a grant of $7,938 from our Whangaroa-Bay of Islands Community Board to have seven very large Tree Privets, which exceed our capability, felled by a qualified contractor. These trees are a primary seed source, seed prolifically and would continue to be an on-going threat to our habitat restoration and maintenance effort. Five of the seven trees overhang the stream which washes seeds further downstream.
In addition tothe removal of these Privet trees, the Community Board grant also funded 2 spray suits at a discounted cost of $448.50 for the safety of two of our volunteers when spraying weeds and, a St Johns First Aid course for one of our volunteers @ $195.
We are grateful for the ongoing support of the Community Board which has supported us at key moments since 2014 and has granted us $52,600 altogether towards our Wairoa Stream projects.
The images below show Tree Privet in flower (left) and the berry that forms (right)
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