On Tuesday morning 19th June HELP Waihi will be supporting a fledgling local group, the ‘Waitekauri Valley Landcare Group’, who will be carrying out their first major native planting as a group, at the old gold mining township area of ‘Waitekauri’.
The beautiful Waitekauri Valley near Waihi contains the Waitekauri River and tributaries, all of which originate in the bush of the Coromandel Forest Park, that bounds it on three sides. At the southern end the valley widens out onto the Waihi Basin, and the Waitekauri River tributes to the Ohinemuri at the eastern edge of Waikino village.
The site chosen is a stream/wetland area that contributes to the Waitekauri after running over farmland, and the planting will help further improve water quality. The river won an award last year for ‘Most Improved in Region for E. Coli’, monitored over the last ten years, thanks to the efforts of the farmers, a great result.
http://www.cawthron.org.nz/foundation/nz-river-awards/
The project will be a combined community effort, with some riparian landowners, (who make up a large part of the group), volunteers from Waikino village, some from Waikino School, HELP Waihi Inc., an HDC Councillor, WRC, some French travellers, even Paeroa StreamCare if they can make it. Bring some friends!
Gathering at 9am, we aim to have close to 500 plants, trees, shrubs, flax, and native sedges, in the ground by around 11, and then share a BBQ brunch and hot cuppa. Bring a bit of food to share, good boots and gear for the wet, latex gloves available. Most holes will be drilled, spades optional. Site is about halfway up the Waitekauri Road, a couple of hundred metres before Scheltema Rd.
The Day! Team talk;
Getting stuck in;