We had a successful Community Nursery Break up on Friday 13th December, some jobs were done such as track gravelling and track clearing and much eating. As usual our pot luck morning teas were of epic proportions. A few thankyous to all our volunteers and gifts of Honorleas beautiful soaps and Christmas Wishes to all.
A band of waterers are in place over the holiday period. Hand watering (we are on talk water) of the Nursery takes about one and a half hours so it is quite a commitment, thanks to those who put their hands up for it. If you are at a loose end over the hols there is always weeding to be done, it wont be an organised thing, just come and do it if you feel like an hour or so of “quiet time”!!
And don’t forget, if you haven’t already done it to visit the Jo Ogier Exhibition at Eastern Southland Gallery, its on until February 25.
The Nursery will reopen for Volunteers on Friday 17th January 2025
Chris and Brian
Posted: 16 December 2024
On 26 November 24, Brian and I attended the Kowhai Reach opening event. We and the Nursery have been involved in this project one way or another for a very long time. Since farmer landowners on the Winton Stream objected to it being straightened for flood control and a number of landowners protected the meandering, kowhai lined stream with a QEII Covenant under the guidance of Roger Sutton. Carried on with gusto by the next QEII Rep Gay Munro, she involved Limehills School and we at the Community Nursery had many sessions with Limehills students to grow Kowhai with them for this project. It is hard to keep up that momentum but now after a few years of less activity, Jesse Bythell (the current QEII Rep), the SDC, landowners and Limehills students have come together with a grand plan for the future and the opening of a new parking area and outside clsssroom and beautiful new sign and hopes for a new track and more planting is the start of a new era for the project. Speakers included landowner Francis Shand, SDC Mayor Rob Scott, Councillor Margie Ruddenklau, Gay Munro and Jesse Bythell QEII, Teachers Kathy Turnbull and Kirsty Smith and a special kowhai song was sung by the students.
At the Community Nursery we have continued growing eco-sourced kowhai from the site over all those years and last year and this year are supplying plants for the rejuvenated and larger protected area. It was great to see old friends, new students and landowners and renewed enthusiasm for this very special Southland place.
Chris
Posted: 4 December 2024
On 19th November following the litter intelligence survey at Oreti Beach (as part of Sustainable Coastlines partnership with Aon New Zealand) and with the imminent arrival of rain, the group used the nursery education facilities to continue with their team building day. The group conducted the litter audit in a sheltered space, and celebrated with kai enjoying listening to the rain on the roof.
Bronwyn
Posted: 4 December 2024
Wendy from the Love Bittern Project travels and meets with individuals and community groups, providing them with on the ground support, information and resources to raise awareness, monitor and record Australasian bittern.
The Community Nursery hosted Wendy on Sunday 17 November 24 for a talk with 15 people attending and this was followed by a field trip at dusk to Bushy Point overlooking the estuary to listen for matuku/bittern booming. On the Saturday morning she had been out with Pete McClelland to Big Lagoon.
The talk focused on the nesting, breeding and feeding requirements for bittern, ie their ideal habitat and the plight of this bird in New Zealand (due to that wetland habitat being lost or degraded). Wendy had travelled the length and breadth of the country, spreading the message, imparting information and enthusing communities.
Unfortunately, we didn’t hear bittern that night but we are now much more equipped to search for this elusive bird and record any sightings in the future.
We did later manage to see a matuku in our paddock, but it was super-sized! A massive bittern, next to the Education Centre designed by Barry Smith, who with Ray, mowed a brilliant lifelike bittern into our paddock – only seen from the air, so friends Beatty and later Daniel managed to get a photo from the Stewart Island plane as they flew over our place recently.
You can read all about the project at https://lovebittern.com/ and thanks to Catriona Gower at Environment Southland for organising these events for Wendy in Southland.
Chris
Posted: 2 December 2024
Since my last post in early October 24 a LOT has happened! The Nursery volunteers have been working hard on Fridays to produce the plants we need for various community and private projects we are supplying plants to this and next year. Spring brings its unpredictable weather, mostly it seems, on a Friday! Good number of volunteers still arrive to support our efforts and we try to make it more comfortable by bringing some jobs like weeding pots inside the education centre. However, there is much more to be done outside so we hope the weather improves on Fridays soon.
The Jo Ogier exhibition is a huge success so if you haven’t been yet, don’t delay, its wonderful and everyone I speak to is in raptures about it. See details here - https://www.esgallery.co.nz/temporary-exhibitions
As well as growing plants we have supplied plants to schools in the Lumsden area, via Jenny Campbell and also supplied worms for Kindergarten worm farms!
Many of you will know Brian and I went away for 3 weeks recently during the busiest time of the Nursery, leaving Linda (and Ray) in charge. Linda does an amazing job organising volunteer Fridays and we also put in place a group of watering volunteers, though the weather provided most of the water over that time I believe! The Nursery watering takes between 1-2 hours to do the entire nursery so it is quite a commitment and we will again be looking for help over the Christmas holiday period.
Meanwhile we had new experiences in Taranaki, doing the Jigger trip from Taumarunui to Stratford – a great thing to do with friends – seeing the landscapes, vegetation and history of the Forgotten World railway. Then on to the Taranaki Garden Festival with its two garden trails (over 100 private gardens), sustainability garden trail and art trail as well as the natural features and walks of Mount Taranaki itself and surrounds including Rotokari Predator Fenced Reserve and the excellent Tawhiti Museum. All highly recommended!
As we got home the SERN trip went ahead on Saturday 16 November 24 and it was a very successful day – https://www.sern.org.nz/news/sern-spring-trip-2024-meandering-the-mataura-river/ and this was followed by the Great Matuku Muster - a workshop on the Sunday in our Education Centre an a night session in Bushy Point listening for bittern – lots of great information from Wendy - https://www.sern.org.nz/events/the-great-matuku-muster/. A full report on the day to come as well as an excellent recent opening for Kowhai Reach on Tuesday.
A date for your Calendar – The Christmas Break- up for the Nursery will be Friday 13 December 2024 – bring your best baking!!
Posted: 28 November 2024
