Tonkin & Taylor support planting day
Our last planting day for
2012 was one of the best attended so far, thanks in large part to the
staff of Tonkin & Taylor who swelled the numbers and put on
afternoon tea. The planting was also well attended by staff from
the Waikato Regional Council and streamcare group members. Thanks to
all those involved - see photos of planting and afternoon tea.
Waikato Show display
The streamcare group ran a display at the 2012 Waikato Show at
Claudelands Event Centre. We were part of the environmental
section which included a fish tank showing some of the fish species
found in Hamilton streams. Thanks to Joel for helping to staff the
stand - see photo.
Helping Hands help out
Around 60 Mormon Helping Hands and
stream care group members chipped in for two hours on Saturday March 27
to clear weeds from streamside plantings and prepare a new area for
planting in 2010. Thanks to all those who helped out...clearing vegetation...and weeding.
Mangakotukutuku Stream on Tui 2000 tour
The Peacockes Branch of Mangakotukutuku Stream was used as the example
of what a healthy urban stream can look like. This was the last stop on
a bus tour of Hamlton to raise awareness of urban streams. See photo.
Conservation Week activity on the stream
The Peacockes Branch of Mangakotukutuku Stream was the focus of
attention on September 19 when we shared its ecological values with
around 40 interested Hamiltonians. Scientists from Environment Waikato,
NIWA, Department of Conservation and The University of Waikato provided
information on fish, invertebrates and water quality. Thanks to Moira
Cursey for organising this event. See photos of searching for bugs and releasing eels.
Kiwi Conservation Club helps plant trees
Many hands make light
work and the Kiwi Conservation Club recently proved this by helping to
plant trees next to the Mangaotukutuku Stream. The KCC kids also
learned about stream life and got to stroke a big longfin eel - the
same one we caught 2 years ago. As well we found koura, inanga, common
bully and a large female torrentfish!
Waikato Museum River Day
The Kiwi Conservation Club recently helped plant trees along the stream
and spent some time looking for fish. Despite high stream flows we
found a large threatened longfin eel, inanga, common bully, and large
pregnant torrentfish and an threatend koura, all within about 50 m of
stream!
Waikato Museum River Day
We ran a successful publicity stall at the Waikato Museum River Day in
early March. We were one of only two environment groups to exhibit
here. The stall
included posters on the values of gully streams and freshwater life,
and a competition with a free 3-month garden bin collection as a
prize.Unfortunately we had to cancel our publicity stall at the Good
Life Expo due to the weather.
Enviroschools experience for Glenview Primary
Members of our group were involved in helping show over 100 pupils from
Glenview Primary School how healthy the stream below Waterford Rd is.
The students learned about how to identify invertebrates, and how to
measure and interpret water temperature and clarity. Every student was
given one of the stream care group's fridge magnets.
Results of our 2007 Bird survey
We joined the New Zealand Garden Bird Survey
which was run over 14-22 July nationally in parks and garden by
Landcare Research. We monitored 4 sites in Sandford Park and
recorded 16 species, 5 of which were native and made up 27% of
the birds seen (click here
to see the list of species). The data have been sent to Landcare
Research and we plan to repeat the survey annually over the coming
years to see if our planting efforts increase native bird biodiversity.
Waterford Gully planting underway
Part of the gully below Waterford Road in Sandford Park has been
cleared and planting is underway. We have had help from group
members, the South City Lions, The Church of the Latterday Saints, Kiwi
Conservation Club, The University School of Education, Project K and
St Pius X school (see photo) which also had some sessions with Enviroschools
co-ordinator Dean King to learn about the Mangakotukutuku Stream (read the Waikato Times article). See part of the the gully before we got stuck in, after site clearance and then after planting.
University Environment Day
A publicity stall was held at the Waikato University Environment Day in
May as part of an awareness campaign for environmental groups.
Good Life Expo
The streamcare group ran a publicity stall at the Good Life Expo as
part of the Right Bank Festival in late February. The stall
included posters on the values of gully streams and freshwater life,
and a competition with a free 3-month garden bin collection as a
prize.
Sandford Park Clean Up
On a Saturday afternoon in late November, 22 keen volunteers carried
out a rubbish clean up in Sandford Park. In two hours we collected 32
large bags of rubbish, 30 tyres, 5 sheets of iron, 6 chairs, and bits
of 3 beds and 6 bikes. The Council came through a few days later and
took the rubbish away. Sandford Park is now a much more pleasant place
to walk through. We also cleared weeds around some native plantings.
Thanks to the Keep Hamilton Beautiful group for their support with this
clean up.
Glenview School Gala competition
On 18 November, Ian and Elaine from the Mangakotukutuku Stream Care
Group ran a competition at the Glenview Primary School Gala. The
competition involved putting the right names to different species of
plants and animlas found in the gully and stream. Thanks to Grant from
Red Lid Wheelie Bins for providing a prize for the competition. |
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Gully walk
In
early August, several group members braved the rain to check out
Mangakotukutuku Stream in flood as it flowed through Sandford Park. It
was interesting to see the different coloured water coming out of the
three main tributary streams, reflecting the sources and extent of
erosion upstream. Some very small tributary streams were still running
clear.
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