Tea and camaraderie
Weeding can be fun! David Carruthers and Ron Smith
Five years after setting up, the Waikanae Estuary Care Group’s efforts are bearing fruit.
On a stunning Saturday morning, dedicated volunteers don boots and gloves to rip out weeds from the Waikanae Estuary Scientific Reserve – one of the largest estuaries in New Zealand and a nationally significant wetland.
Group member Ron Smith lives across the road from the estuary. “It’s like having an extension of our garden. If we want this to look good, we have to do the work.” He says the weeding is difficult “but the cup of tea, camaraderie and results are worth it”.
Blackberry, gorse, pampas grass and willows are being removed, making way for toetoe, pingao, shrub daisies and other coastal trees. The group’s chair, Jeff Eaton, says their vision is to provide a
Mike Hardiman and Caroline Cowie
corridor for native birds to travel from Kapiti Island to the Tararua ranges. “We’re already seeing tui, a sign that other native birds may soon follow.”
The benefits aren’t just environmental. The care group promotes a sense of community and members gain knowledge about coastal planting and growing seeds (the group maintains a shade house where 8,000 plants are grown each year from locally collected seeds).
“Many of us joined because we loved the project,” says operations manager Mike Hardiman. “We didn’t know much about coastal planting but we’ve learned a lot by being involved.”
The Waikanae Estuary Care Group is supported by Greater Wellington, the Kapiti Coast District Council, Department of Conservation (who also manage the estuary) and Ministry for the Environment.
To join the care group, email kerryn.penny@gw.govt.nz