Following up on last years tree learning and class visits to the Southland Community Nursery I have spent a couple of sessions working alongside Myross Bush School at school on their planting project journey. On 3 June I met with the schools Envirogroup, looking at their plan for what they are wanting to do on site. I noticed they had “plants” written on part of their map, so I introduced them to 7 NZ native plants - weeping mapou, cabbage tree, kōwhai, ribbonwood, mingimingi, red tussock and mānuka - as the school has got some of these species to plant. Learn about these species at Wetlands Planting List • Southland Community Nursery. We wandered down to the project space and started to “see” their written and drawn plan in the actual planting space. Questions over how big the area might be, where they are planting, what they are planting and how it might look were discussed. The group learnt more about the plants - as they all grow to different heights - so this may help with the planning of the area. The Envirogroup learnt that the 7 species of plants that the school has to plant are great first planters and will be just perfect for this planting along with the harakeke that the school is rehoming - tumeke! Building a forest for kahikatea is hard work, but lots of fun in the mud!
On 10 June I visited again, along with Josh (Enviroschools Facilitator, Environment Southland). The Envirogroup talked through the plan and map designed so far and how this plan for action changes as more information is learnt. Josh continued working on this plan with all the new ideas while I went and planted some of the flax waiting to be planted - to get this taoka in the ground so it can grow. And we found cabbage trees too! We talked about tap roots, and pondered whether the cabbage tree we planted would survive. We chose wet areas for the flax and cabbage tree as they don’t mind wet feet and are great first planters. The planting group learnt how to plant, and learnt about the different names these species have - common, Te Reo and scientific names. After planting I continued into the Mataī team - so that these new entrants could learn the names of the NZ native plants that will be planted - looking closely at a leaf, and noticing if it was the same or different to their neighbours leaves. We then looked really closely at kōwhai, as this is the tree that this team is learning all about. We looked at the small round paired leaves, the yellow flowers and the big hard yellow seeds. Watching some birds in the kōwhai tree, we found that tui and bellbirds have a tongue - a bit like a paintbrush that can slurp the tasty nectar from the base of the kōwhai flower. We also watched kereru eating the kōwhai tree. The kōwhai tree is great for birds, and the birds help the kōwhai tree by pollinating it as they move from flower to flower. After lunch the Kawaka team too learnt about the NZ native plants that will be planted - looking closely at leaves and their characteristics. We looked closely at the different seed types different plants have. While a smaller team went with Josh to plan out the path part of the plan, we looked closer at the cabbage tree learning how brown coloured the leaves are when they first germinate and grow, and then change to the green colour, then grow a trunk, and have spikey flowers. Having found the last of the season’s cabbage tree fruit, I described the fruit and squashed it to show a tiny black seed inside…which will grow into a brown leafed cabbage tree, completing the life cycle. The two groups presented back to each other sharing what they had done and learnt. Finishing the day in Rawe we focused on the magnificent mānuka. I introduced a mānuka to the class and they started telling me all about its life cycle - sharing their wonderful learning with me. Looking closely we saw how tiny the mānuka seeds are, and how lots of them come out of each hard pod. Hands on teamwork got some more seed out of some pods - but it was hard work. I explained how we collect and leave the seed pods in a tray to open up naturally in the heat and sun. The class is going to leave the mānuka pods in their classroom and watch the seeds be released, and then plant these and try to grow some mānuka. Looking at photos of the mānuka we counted 5 petals, and also counted 5 sections on each of the seed pods.
What a great day with Myross Bush School.
Bronwyn
Posted: 11 June 2021
Although our Community Apple pressing event did not happen this year, we have been testing out various new presses bought by members of our nursery community. Malcolm Mackenzie kindly gifted his amazing press to Riverton Environment Centre and they are willing to share this resource. However, this year it was a bit late to organise a community pressing as most apples had fallen and a bit of lead in time is needed for people to put apples into the freezer for pressing. Next year we will set a date early for people to aim for and we will aim to have lots of different presses here to try. We are sold on the freezing idea as it means you don’t need the chipper device on your press, you also get more juice and a more clear juice than chipped apples. However you cant beat freshly picked apples either!
In May we pressed frozen apples on Chris Andrews new press which works with water pressure. Its quite large and presses very quickly once brought up to pressure. There is a chipper as well and this works in the usual manual way. Then we tried Russel Grahams new press – a mix of a commercial hydraulic jack with custom made stainless barrel and tray. It also worked very well with minimum effort as the hydraulic arm does all the work. Our own small traditional design works well on small batches and much slower but has the advantage of pulling smaller batches out of the freezer to press rather than a big load at once. However, next to Russells press it did look like a childs version – any maybe next year we can use it as that! These new presses are very efficient but don’t hold a candle aesthetically to Malcolms press – not only is it very functional but it looks so beautiful too – its like a work of art!
Chris
Posted: 31 May 2021
Teaming up with the Great South Southland Youth Futures team who are part of a programme to provide career exploration opportunities to Southland youth we hosted 27 Year 9 and 10 students from James Hargest College Agriculture & Horticulture classes. Sheltered in the purpose built education centre for Southland weather days such as this we provided hands on practical experience with NZ native plant propogation through both cuttings and seed sowing (covering ecosourcing, seed collection and preparation). We talked about links the Southland Community Nursery has with community projects for conservation restoration plantings, shelter belt and riparian plantings on farm properties. The management of pests was demonstrated linking to Jobs for Nature and Predator 2050. A walk between rain showers completed the visit showcasing the wetland creation and plantings to inspire these students.
Bronwyn, Chris and Mark
Posted: 20 May 2021
We have had a busy week at the Education Centre. A Native Plant ID Course run by Jesse Bythell and myself for the SIT Environment Students and others took place on Tuesday 4 May 2021. The course is now in its fifth year, includes a range of inside and outside study and is always well received by students. The Plant ID cards used on the course can be downloaded and printed here.
On Thursday 6 May 2021 five keen members of the Hokonui Runaka seed collecting team brought along their collection of seeds and we spent a morning cleaning and preparing seeds for sowing and a bit of plant/seed identification. The seed preparation included cleaning fleshy seed through sieves, shaking out tiny hebe seeds, cleaning sticky pittosporum seeds with washing up liquid (a new technique for us!) and removing all the extraneous chaff that gets collected with seeds – ready for sowing. Some plant ID was also done – the rare Neomyrtus pedunculata and Coprosma dumosa (photos below). A reminder that our website seed collecting pages have some good information on what ripe seed looks like and timing of collection for various common Southland native species.
Nursery Friday Mornings continue for volunteers and seed collecting and sorting is still being done.
On Saturday 8 May 2021 the Education Centre was the lunch stop venue for the Autumn Southland Ecological Restoration Network trip to Kew Bush and Oreti Totara Dune Forest – www.sern.org.nz. Over 30 people attended the celebration of lots of hard work by Allan McPherson and John Tait at Kew Bush with the unveiling of an interpretation sign telling that story. Allan and John had also been regular Nursery attenders and many of the subsequent plantings at Kew were from our joint efforts. Ini had initiated a “Friends of Kew Bush” to continue their good work so if you live nearby email ini to become involved ([Enable JavaScript to view protected content]). The Education Centre was abuzz with conversation and everyone enjoyed catching up with friends and those involved in many conservation projects. After lunch the group moved on to the Oreti Totara Dune Forest for a guided walk with Maurice Rodway, Brian, Jesse and Dallas. Thanks to Gay, Jesse and Ini for doing the lions share of the organising for the day.
Chris
Posted: 10 May 2021
1st May 2021 was a historic occasion. Bluff Hill Motupōhue Trust volunteers, under Chair Estelle Leask, and Southland Community Nursery volunteers translocated 45 Punui (Stilbocarpa lyallii) plants back onto the NZ mainland! Pūnui/bunawe is a taonga species to local iwi and has many traditional uses. It grows on southern offshore muttonbird islands associated with seabird colonies, but gets eaten by introduced animals and so declined early on the mainland of NZ. With extensive predator control being undertaken over many years Bluff Hill Motupōhue is a perfect place for its reintroduction. Saturday 1st May was a joint affair with plants being grown by Southland Community Nursery from seed collected by the Davis Family from their island and passed to the Community Nursery by Estelle to grow for this project. The groups of plants were planted in favourable locations in light gaps under forest under guidance of Brian Rance DOC botanist and Community Nursery trustee. It is hoped that the plants thrive and seed and are then distributed by birds. Estelle had arranged a 10 year permit for translocations to continue and we at Southland Community Nursery were privileged to be involved and support the great work that the Bluff Hill Motupōhue Environment Trust are doing. Thanks to Jeanette for article in the ODT - with Ray starring! https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/megaherb-punui-replanted
Chris
Posted: 3 May 2021
