May 2013
Parks Volunteers Newsletter
Christchurch City Council
Travis hosts party for
World Wetland Day
The Travis Wetland Trust and Avon Otakaro Network (AVoN) combined to celebrate World Wetland Day with a
walk and barbecue on Saturday 2 February at Travis Wetland.
Eighty people enjoyed the walk led by Colin Meurk, president of Travis Wetland Trust. Colin’s words at various
stopping points along the way resonated with the participants who are all interested in the future of the redzone along the Avon River. The event also acknowledged the 21st birthday of the Travis Wetland Trust.
The two organisations share an interest and a passion in the post earthquake protection and development of
waterways and wetlands in Christchurch - especially the red zone along the Avon.
Speakers from AVoN noted Travis wetland is an example what can be achieved in restoring wetland areas and
the management partnership between community driven organisations such as the Travis Wetland Trust and
Christchurch City Council.
Not just another summer student
This summer the Travis Wetland rangers were fortunate to have long-term volunteer Denise Ford working
as a seasonal staff member.
Denise has been an active volunteer at Travis Wetland for many years and this year was employed
through the student summer work scheme.
This year Denise begins her masters degree in Ecology at
Lincoln University. Her thesis is examining differences
between invertebrate populations in ecological
restoration sites compared to non-restored sites
Members of the Youth
Action Programme (YAP)
have been tackling a
variety of projects on the
Port Hills over the summer
months.
The YAP programme is the
brainchild of Conservation
Volunteers, offering
training and experience to
participants.
Team Leader Russell
Keane came over from
Australia to take on the
role. He has been running
two groups of volunteers,
each undertaking a variety
of roles on the Port Hills
including weed control and
releasing native plants.
Russell said the
programme was designed
to give participants a range
of experience and prepare
them for entering or reentering the workforce.
Russell’s involvement with
the programme finished in
March when he returned
home to Australia. He
provided excellent
leadership for the teams
and will be greatly missed.
Denise is using malaise traps (bug nets) at various
places around the city including Travis Wetland. She
has been a member of Travis Wetland Trust for 13 years
and has been on the trust board for most of that time.
Denise has an interest in protecting and enhancing
the native biodiversity of Christchurch. During this
time Denise has used her IT knowledge to develop
the Travis Wetland Trust web site and Facebook page.
She has also improved her knowledge of the natural
world through extramural university papers. Denise
is a part of the Travis Wetland Manuka Group which
maintains this botanically significant area in the
wetland. Employment changes brought about by the
February 2011 earthquake meant Denise chose to go to
university to pursue her passion for the natural world.
The coastal ranger team wishes Denise all the best
with her masters and would like to thank her for her
help this summer.
Youth called
to action on
the Port Hills
Conservation Volunteers Team
Leader Russell Keane (left) with
one of the YAP teams working in
Victoria Park.
Long-term volunteer Denise Ford working
at Travis Wetland
May 2013
Parks Newsletter Christchurch City Council
Award for Sumner
Environment Group
The Sumner Environment Group has been
recognised for their outstanding efforts to restore
and enhance the Sumner and Taylors Mistake coast
during trying times.
The group, headed by Marnie Kent, won the Best
Community Group Award 2012/13 from the Dune
Restoration Trust of New Zealand.
Taylors Mistake community
volunteers
Sumner was badly affected by the magnitude 6.3
earthquake on 22 February 2011.
This great group is a very worthy winner, proactive
in their environment and community. They have
regularly undertaken beach litter clean-ups, dune
plantings and maintenance work days for quite a few years
now. They have got really good information flowing using
the community website, and Facebook, of course.
Hard
landscaping
easy work for
Ian
Long term volunteer Ian
Morriss loves a project
to get his teeth into and
relished a landscaping
project in Victoria Park.
Under the guidance of
Park Ranger Robbie
Hewson, Ian was throwing
railway sleepers around
without breaking a sweat,
while giving one of the
carparking areas a bit of a
makeover.
Ian and Park Ranger
Wayne Hopgood take care
of the gardens around
Victoria Park which are
often commented upon
favourably by visitors.
The Christchurch City Council coastal area ranger team has
been working closely with them for a number of years and
it has been a source of community pride to be helping to
rebuild their part of Christchurch.
Sumner Beach
community volunteers
www.facebook.com/SumnerEnvironment or
Sumnercommunity.org.nz
Autumn release for plants
and vollies
The Port Hills maintenance
season got under way
in March with volunteer
working bees held at a
variety of sites.
Port Hills volunteer Sheng taking part
in a release day at Reuters Reserve.
The Port Hills ranger
team is fortunate to have
a hard core bunch of
vollies keen to maintain
the native plants. Many
of the volunteers will
have planted these areas
in previous years so it is
rewarding to see them well
maintained and to watch
them grow.
The group turns up for every occasion regardless of the weather and does a fantastic job of looking after the
plants. This autumn, rangers and volunteers enjoyed the tail end of the long hot summer and a chance to
meet up with friends and escape the city for the afternoon.
Planting season then begins in June with volunteer planting days held each Saturday.
Port Hills volunteer Ian Morriss with
park ranger Robbie Hewson.
May 2013
Parks Newsletter Christchurch City Council
Volunteers prepare Eastenders
Track for opening
Volunteer working party the Eastenders have been back working in Barnett Park for the first time since
the 2011 earthquake.
The Eastenders Track is being prepared for an official opening with signage being prepared and track
construction completed.
The track branches off the main Barnett
Park track, running up to the Summit
Road. While the main Barnett Park
track remains closed due to rockfall
danger, the Eastenders Track provides
a walking route from Redcliffs up onto
the Port Hills.
The first taste of winter
struck Canterbury in past
weeks and what better way
to keep warm than getting
stuck in to a volunteer
project around the city.
There is heaps going on
from planting native trees
up on the Port Hills to
dune restoration work
around our coastline.
Volunteering in our parks
provides much-needed
help while offering time
out from the daily grind.
It’s a great way to meet
new people, get some
exercise and discover
some fantastic new places.
The Eastenders is a volunteer work
group associated with the Summit
Road Society. It consists of 20 to 30
retired gentlemen who have been
contributing to the upkeep of the Port
Hills track network for many years.
Most of the tracks in their eastern
home patch (Sumner, Redcliffs and
Mt Pleasant) have been closed due
to earthquake damage and rockfall
danger so they have relished the opportunity to keep the group going.
Get Involved
Volunteers hard at work on the
Eastenders Track
For a list of upcoming
volunteer opportunities
check out
www.ccc.govt.nz
“get involved in your
parks”
Of late, the group has undertaken a massive tidy up of the Eastenders Track. The track was line-trimmed
by contractors after which the Eastenders crew cut back gorse and broom up to two metres from the
edge of the track. They followed this up with drain clearance and track rebenching. This has taken three
working bees to accomplish.
or email
parks.volunteers@ccc.
govt.nz
Following the September 2010 earthquakes, the group redirected its focus south around the Victoria
Park area: Coronation Hill Reserve, Kennedys Bush Scenic Reserve, Marleys Hill Reserve and Sugarloaf
Reserve. Over the last two years or so they have resurfaced, rebenched and rebuilt many neglected
walking and mountain bike tracks across the Port Hills.
The group is supported by Port Hills park ranger Hamish Masters who provides technical advice, tools
and morning tea.
The Eastenders is a great group
of guys who enjoy having a laugh
while operating on the principal
that many hands make light work.
They meet on the second Monday
and last Monday of every month
from 9am - 12pm.
Group leader Paul Tebbutt says
they are always looking for new
members and anyone interested
in joining the group can contact
Paul 0273843086.
The Eastenders working party takes a
well-earned break
the roost of choice for many
species using Brooklands
lagoon – particularly waders like
godwits, oystercatchers, dotterels
and stilts, as well as terns and the
endangered black-billed gull.
Regular Port Hills volunteer Dennis
Blomquist releasing plants at
Reuter Reserve
May 2013
Parks Newsletter Christchurch City Council
Halswell Quarry volunteers help
plants survive summer
Local residents and students have been giving up their time on Saturdays to lend a hand with native plant
releasing and mulching over the summer months at Halswell Quarry.
The volunteer group is made up of people who have been involved with the park for many years and those
who are more recent, some having relocated to the area following the earthquakes.
The crew has been doing some great work and despite the dry summer the plants are hanging in there
thanks to their efforts.
Volunteer Peter Ingham chips in to
mulch plants at Halswell Quarry.
For further
information
contact the
Greenspace Unit
May 2013 PAM5389
Phone: 941 8999 or
0800 800 169