Friends of Greendale
Greendale Reserve
Where can you find the group?
 |
| Kenakena School planting day 2005 |
Greendale Reserve is located in Otaihanga, just north of Paraparaumu.The land is owned by the Kapiti Coast District Council. Follow the link to see an aerial photo of the area.
What has the group done?
A group of local people from the Kapiti Botany Group and the Kapiti-Mana branch of Forest and Bird have been working together since 1997 to restore native plants to the banks of the Muaupoko Stream. They meet regularly on Tuesday mornings.
The Friends of the Greendale Reserve was formed in 2001 to involve more local people in the project. This group held annual public working bees to plant and weed in the reserve. They kept local people informed and involved in the project through a series of newsletters.
Kenakena School students have been included in the project from very early on. Students enjoy revisiting the reserve each year to do more planting and see how their plants have grown. Paraparaumu College horticulture students have also be involved in planting a variety of native species they have raised in their own school nursery.
The results of this project have totally transformed the reserve from a couple of shabby, blackberry infested paddocks to a spectacular recreational area. Visiting birds deliver native seeds which are help natural regeneration.
In 2006 the Kapiti Botany Group, Kapiti-Mana branch of Forest and Bird and Friends of the Greendale Reserve jointly won a Conservation Week Merit Award for their work on the reserve. Kenakena School won the 2006 Young Conservationist Award.
Eastern end of the reserve 2006
Current activities
Some planting ofgrasses and other suitable plants along the streambank edges has occurred this planting season, but most of the work now involves plant care and maintenance. This is being undertaken through the regular Tuesday morning working bees, and a large public weeding working bee was held by the Friends in January 2007.