stephen May 6th, 2011
stephen March 28th, 2011
STEPS met with Auckland Council Officers, contractors, Waicare and Morphum people for our third annual planting and maintenance meeting on 17 February 2011. Minutes are attached – thanks to Taryn Pearce for co-ordinating. We also thank in particular Melissa Marler for volunteering to lead and co-ordinate a weeding group (thanks to Sel Arbuckle for assisting.). Melissa will also use her experience to help educate the contractors as the Downer team are not yet so familiar with the area as were former contractors Alldrains. We are pleased with the commitment and support Council officers are showing and thank in particular David Bowden for involving Conservation New Zealand Volunteers and assisting with tracking tunnels.
This year we are planning limited expansion of existing planting areas – mainly infill planting where plants have been lost. Instead the focus is on managing the new plantings, and especially removing weeds. If not dealt with, Kikuyu, moth plant and woolly nightshade are major threats to this beautiful volcanic streamside landscape we are restoring. These problems occur not only in the plantings but seeds are borne by wind and water from neighbouring properties.
We are willing to train volunteers to help remove weeds, and educate people about this problem so please contact us via this website if you are able to help us.
STEPS Planning Meeting Minutes_2011-02-17
Woolly nightshade. Solanum mauritianum Photo: Carolyn Lew
Moth plant / cruel vine (Araujia sericifera)
stephen March 23rd, 2011
STEPS joined with South Epsom Planning Group in appealing the original Environment Court decision to request higher standards of cleanfill to minimise any risk of pollution of the Three Kings-Meola-Western Springs aquifer and to protect the environment for future generations.
STEPS is pleased that the Court accepted all the evidence of SEPG and STEPS expert witnesses, and we especially note that that Watercare Services were involved in the case to protect aquifer water quality.
As is normal practice, the Environment Court reserved their decision and indicated that they would be likely to deliver the decision sometime within the next 12 weeks.
STEPS submission is attached and a full report can be found on Joel Cayford’s blog http://joelcayford.blogspot.com/2011/03/fletcherwinstone-cleanfill-court-action.html