Central Auckland Branch has a new restoration project at the Purewa Valley. Each Wednesday from 10am till noon starting 8th February a keen group of Forest and Bird Central Auckland Branch members will get busy bringing biodiversity back to the City by clearing away weeds and replanting natives in a project that is an Ark in the Park in the City. The objective at Purewa is to create a wildlife sanctuary for the protection of coastal forest plants, birds and insects. The vision of a nature trail complete with beautiful water holes leading all the way from Kepa Road, Kohimarama via Hobson Bay to the City Centre is possible if you join us?
There is also the option to volunteer on Sunday 19th February at 9am until noon, finishing with a free sausage sizzle.
Guided walks to introduce volunteers to the area are to be arranged in response to the level of interest.
To register your interest please contact Jane j.ferguson@forestandbird.org.nz or centralauckland.branch@forestandbird.org.nz
We also have another new project,
REVIVING NEW ZEALAND NATIVE BUTTERFLIES IN THE CITY
Forest and Bird Central Auckland Branch invites you to support Rob Jones (a fellow member and dedicated butterfly enthusiast) to establish pockets of natural habitat for the purpose of providing Red and Yellow Admiral Butterflies with a place to nest and flourish within the City. Native Nettles are the main food plant for larvae of the New Zealand Red and Yellow Admiral Butterflies or Kahukura, Bassaris gonerilla. Rob has gained permission from Auckland City Council to plant nettles in Balmoral Heights Park and Meadowbank. He has also established a butterfly house at Eden Gardens. But together we could do so much more.
If you are interersted in volunteering for any of the projects below, please email the contact named, or for general volunteering enquiries please contact our branch at centralauckland.branch@foresrtandbird.org.nz or our volunteer co-ordinator Jane Ferguson at j.ferguson@forestandbird.org.nz .
Ark in the Park - Waitakere
This is a large Forest and Bird restoration project, with volunteering activities and days. Volunteer work includes planting, pest control, weeding, track maintenance and monitoring. Details about the work available at this site in the Waitakere Ranges are available on the website www.arkinthepark.org.nz or email arkinthepark@forestandbird.org,nz
Lucas Creek Corridor Restoration Project - North shore
A Forest & Bird project located at Lucas Creek, North Shore. The next corridor in the Auckland Naturally project involves pest control and planting. For details about work available, contact Nick at the Auckland F&B office on n.beveridge@forestandbird.org.nz
Atawhai Whenua Reserve - Waiheke
This reserve is owned by F&B on Waiheke Island. Working bee on the 4th Saturday of each month. Contact Lincoln on 372 6376.
Onetangi Reserve - Waiheke
Another F&B reserve also on Waiheke Island, there is a working bee on the second Sunday of each month. Contact Brian on 372 7662.
Atuanui Restoration Project - Kaipara
The Atuanui Reserve is a 615ha native bush reserve on SH16 past Glorit and includes the Mt Auckland Walkway. This Atuanui Restoration F&B project always needs volunteers to do jobs like help maintain bait-stations and baiting in. Contact Waitakere branch of F&B
Colin-Kerr Taylor Reserve - Kaipara
This is a F&B owned reserve in the Kaipara area. For more info about the reserve click here. The Branch currently has a pest control programme underway. The working bee will undertake a range of maintenance tasks suitable for all abilities. For booking and meeting information, contact:
Viv Wilson at the.wilsons@paradise.co.nz or contact the F&B office 302 3901.
For more info about the reserve click here.
Mangemangeroa Restoration project - South Auckland
Located in South Auckland, this is a F&B initiated project. For details contact Sth Auckland branch or Nick at the Auckland F&B Office 302 3901
Raroa Restoration Project - Hibiscus Coast
53 Stanmore Bay Rd, Whangaparaoa. Work-day there first Sat in each month. Jobs vary dependikng on the time of year from planting to nursery work to releasing weeds. For details, contact the Hibiscus Coast branch at hibiscuscoast.branch@forestandbird.org.nz
The Tuff Crater Millennium Forest Project - North Shore
This is a restoration project of long-standing by the Northshore branch of F&B. The project is located at Tuff Crater, near the northern motorway not far beyond the northern exit from the Harbour Bridge. For details about this project click here.
Pollen Island/Motu Manawa Marine Reserve - Waterview/ Te Atatu
This is our branch's biggest restoration project. It is explained in our 'projects' pages. Volunteer work is wide-ranging, including pest-control, planting, weeding, and beach clean-up work. For more detail please look at our branch projects http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/branches/central-auckland/projects For further information, contact centralauckland.branch@forestandbird.org.nz
Motutapu Island
Breathing new life into an ancient land-form. Ecological restoration of the island of Motutapu for all New Zealanders on regular volunteer days – planting from May to August, nursery work and weed busting from Sept to April. Volunteer and registration details are available on the website www.motutapu.org.nz
Motuihe Island
The Motuihe Project needs your help to plant native trees and control weeds. Nursery work is required throughout the planting season. Come on your own or bring family or friends. No experience is necessary to have a rewarding trip to one of the lovely Hauraki Gulf islandsThere are also opportunities to stay on Motuihe to do additional volunteer work .
Contact: 0800 MOTUIHI (0800 668844) or visit www.motuihe.org.nz
Motuora Island
Motuora island just south of Kawau Island, provides a nursery for juvenile kiwi, and has a community-led native forest restoration programme. There are regular (monthly)work-days leaving from Sandspit (boatrides are subsidised). Contact Eilene on 09 427-8911 Hibiscus Coast or Robin on 09 378-9548.
Other Volunteer Work
Organising and running the regular trips or meetings for both F&B and KCC. New helpers will be mentored and supported by the active, experienced co-ordinaters and not left to work by themselves, and with KCC events we ask that all children taking part be accompanied by a family adult. F&B has established health and safety guidelines for its trips plus some liability insurance for members - guides are not held personally liable for accidents. For meetings this involves hiring venues, organising guest speakers, preparing the venue for the talk, and collecting donations.
One-off F&B and KCC displays, stands and for events other than restoration-type activities, like the Sea Week events for eg. Members are needed to man stalls and displays and promote F&B and advertise events.
Newsletter folding and distribution - we produce three newsletters per year and try to send as many as possible by email, but some hard-copies still require folding, addressing (sticking on printed labels) and delivery. We try to hand-deliver, and are always seeking help with this (about up to a dozen newsletters, three times per year Feb June Nov). Help is needed also with sending electronic copies of our newsletters to members, or with loading pdfs of the newsletters onto the F&B website.
Website editing - including posting events and activities onto our website and keeping information about branch news up-to-date.
Email distribution - help with sending out e-alerts to branch members
If you can offer help in any of these areas it would be much appreciated. You may wish for more information. Please contact us at centralauckland.branch@forestandbird.org.nz
