Southland Community Nursery Activities April/May 24
Its that time of the year when the year seems to speed up (or am I just getting older!!). So since the last website post lots has been happening! The Southland Ecological Restoration Network (sern) trip that was advertised went ahead and a great day was had seeing other restoration sites and Nursery vollies were in attendance - https://www.sern.org.nz/events/2024-sern-autumn-field-day/
The Dotterel Campaign launch did eventually go ahead, very successfully with Daniel Cocker giving another impassioned plea – good local publicity ensued - https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350270523/dotterel-defence-fund-gets-forest-bird-boost. You can support Dan and the Dotterel here https://nznaturefund.org/projects/southern-dotterel-tuturiwhatu/
You may wonder what this all has to do with the Nursery, but all are linked by our own volunteers and the conservation web we weave!
The Apple Pressing went ahead with a small but dedicated group and others have been collecting our Kingston Black, Yarlington Mill and Sweet Alford apples to make cider (looking forward to the results)!
Anyway, back to Nursery business – its been a busy time collecting and preparing seeds, Nursery volunteer Fridays have attracted between 15 and 20 volunteers so lots of work is being done. A whole contingent weeded the Nursery this Friday and the previous Friday a planting gang went out to the Moloneys in Otatara to help out Andrea and Kevin in their restoration project. We are also preparing plants for other plantings like Bushy Point in September 24 and a number of other plant orders. Soon on Fridays we will be sowing all the seeds we have collected and after that we will hold some workshops on growing plants from cuttings so if you are interested in those topics come along on a Friday morning.
I couldn’t resist adding photos from a recent trip – the perfect morning at Lake Matheson on the West Coast, the amazing dune restoration at Caroline Bay Timaru and the wonderful Tai Tapu Sculpture garden recommended by Linda – wow!
Posted: 12 May 2024