A community working bee coordinated by the Western Firth Catchment Group and the NZ Landcare Trust planted 430 native plants on the banks of Hauarahi Stream in Kaiaua on August 15, part of their efforts to revitalise the riparian land along the stream.
Twenty-five volunteers spent two hours ripping out all kinds of weeds including privet, agapanthus, cotoneaster, and nightshade. They were replaced with plants from Te Whangai nursery, and topped with wood chip and daggy wool donated by local farmer Stu Hill.
The group also weeded around existing native plants, and installed Garto tree protectors, a reusable and recyclable weed suppression tree guard showcased at the National Fieldays Innovation Hub.
Landcare Waikato catchment coordinator Ric Balfour said volunteers came from across the region to help out.
“Thanks to the NZ Motorcaravan Association members who have a programme of contributing funds and volunteer time to projects near their campgrounds,” he said.
“Kaiaua has a new NZMCA campground thanks to Justin and Vicki Johnston who turned their nearby pasture property into a campground in 2023. In the process they have cleaned up the whole area between the Bowling Club and the bridge over the Hauarahi Stream. It has been a massive undertaking, followed by three successive community planting events to bring back native plants to the edge of the stream.”
The group also included volunteers from Westpac’s Auckland, Morrinsville and Hamilton offices.
Ric said the working bee was part of a long-term plan to work with local landowners to fence and plant the entire riparian margin of Hauarahi Stream all the way up to the Toft Road crossing.
