From the Editor

The wonderful warm Autumn has been great for the plants.

When next walking along the riverbank lookout for the new plantings and notice how much the older plants have grown, e.g. rata behind the nursery.  Some new additions have done well. Wind Grass (Anamanthele lessoniana)  on the edges at Greenaway, turutu, NZ blueberry (Dianella nigra) ,kaiku, NZ jasmine (Parsonia heterophylla) and small trees putaweteweta (Carpodetus serratus).

You will see small clearings have been made.  In which trees which required shelter have now been planted.

Many birds visit the riverbank and parks. Tuis are regular visitors now with sightings of kaka and NZ Falcon near the Domain.

The river itself is something special as a habitat for many of our native fish and invertebrates.

It’s great to see swimmers over summer and many of us were saddened when the algal bloom arrived as did the posters warning us of dangers of going in the water for humans and dogs.

Hope you have time to enjoy this special place.

President’s report

The Friends made a successful submission to Greater Wellington, the Regional Council Annual Plan last year asking for $10,000 for the Flood Protection Department to prepare an area on the Southern Bank for planting.  This clearing has now been done and planting has started with about 200 plants put in recently.

Friends will have noticed major work going on in the river near Jim Cooke Park, upgrading the flood protection in that area and also some repair work being done on groynes further upstream.  The boulders have been sourced from the central North Island near Ohakune.  Many people living near the river will have been aware of the delivery of those boulders – literally earthshaking.  We have been told that the area will be re-landscaped and planted with the Friends possibly taking over the maintenance of the new plantings and adding to them. The Jim Cooke Park area is where another footbridge across the Waikanae River could be sited.

There have been several reports in the local papers noting the increase in the birdlife in Kapiti.  Reports have included sightings of kaka and kakariki in the river corridor.

Our Nursery is a great success and we have grown on 3000 plants this year. Planting has started for this season.

Help is always welcome. We do plantings and maintenance on the river bank, and there is work potting up and a watering roster in the Nursery.  Please contact me to find out when and where our next working bee is.

Feriel Falconer

North Bank report

Our tree nursery at the rear of 77 Nimmo East is well worth a visit before the planting season began. It contained about 3000 trees but is emptying rapidly. This year over 80% of the trees were grown  from seed which means a huge increase in numbers is possible as the the cost is minimal – time and potting mix.

If you would like to grow from seed a book  by Laurie Metcalfe called              is available in our public library and will tell you everything you need to know.

One of the chores of operating the nursery is watering which is very time consuming. If we cab raise the finance we hope to install an automatic watering system as currently a roster of 9 people share this duty.

On private property adjacent to our nursery a planting of 1500 native trees has just been completed. This is a major addition to the north bank river corridor and we think the owners should be congratulated for this fine effort.

If you have any trees you would like to donate you can leave them at the nursery at any time.

Dave Blomfield

A big thank you to the Unison Trust.

This is your local pub charity and we received a grant of $1500 to buy larger trees which are very slow to grow from seed  Buying the plants like this enables them to have a goodstart..These will become canopy trees and will be planted on both sides of the river.

Arbor Day.               

About 100 students from Kapanui School made a great effort and planted 300 plants near the Oxbow and bordering El Rancho. Thanks to everyone who helped on the day.

Notice                                            

Friends of the Waikanae River AGM

July 13^th 2006  7.00pm

Waikanae Memorial Hall

Guest Speaker: John Sawyer

For any comments/suggestions phone: Feriel Falconer  04 9043579,                                                                                         Claudia Duncan 06 3643410

Contributions for the next newsletter will be welcomed by 15^th January 2007.        Contact Claudia ph/email c.duncan@clear.net.nz

SOUTH BANK REPORT

The last year has been one of progress in the ecological and amenity values on the south bank of the Waikanae river corridor. The hard work of the past is now evident in the much improved environment from the Otaihanga Domain to survey mark 200 opposite Greenaway Road. The wasteland of exotic species of trees and weeds has been progressively replaced by native flora. Many  of those who now journey along this stretch of the river are appreciating the wonderful world of Tane the god of the forest of Aotearoa. The earlier plantings have canopy closure and therefore are suppressing the weeds. The colonising plants now provide an ideal environment for the next stage of including greater numbers of emergent species such as rimu, miro, titoki, kohekohe and rata.  The Muaupoko stream from the Haul (vehicle) track to its confluence with the Waikanae river is a fine example of  stream side planting, in stark contrast to the south side of the track on private property. The amenity values have been greatly improved by three new tracks. The Pukeko track, a short distance upstream from the eastern end of the Otaihanga Domain. The Kahikatea track which starts at the gas pipe line and finishes at the kahikatea plantings where it joins the Haul track. The Willow track which diverts from the Kahikatea track and skirts the south side of the willow plantation. It is planned to have signage for these tracks before too long. These tracks will give a secluded place for walkers away from bikes and horses.  A further track is being developed on the south side of the Haul track east of survey mark 200. Greater Wellington Regional has made a massive clearance of inappropriate species from survey mark 210 to 240. Garry Baker and his team have done a great job and it is much appreciated. Mike Cardiff, asset manager Parks and Reserves, KCDC. has provided excellent support in supplying resources and planning, this again is much appreciated.

As at the 7th June Flood Protection division of Greater Wellington  Regional Council has failed to produce a credible long term draft plan for  consultation for the south bank of the Waikanae river from the Otaihanga Domain to State Highway 1. This was first requested over three years ago and many promises have been made but not kept. The latest deadline is 30^th. June 2006. If this is not kept it seriously threatens the continued involvement of key contributors to the ecological and amenity values of the south bank of the Waikanae River.    

John Topliff