Palmerston North Area volunteers
Coastal projects
Tawhirihoe Scientific Reserve, Tangimoana Beach
There are several different volunteer activities that mean you can be involved year round in protecting this special area. There is a major planting programme planned over the period 2008-2010 to stabilise the dune area near the beach access road which has been closed due to sand movement.
Activities include:
- growing pingao and spinifex from seed (all year)
- planting spinifex and pingao (June-August)
- beach clean up (anytime)
- pink ragwort control (September-October)
- fernbird surveys (anytime)
- katipo monitoring (anytime). Listen to a report from Radio New Zealand -
Wanganui-Manawatu katipo spider research project (MP3, 1,300K)
- vehicle monitoring and public awareness (all year)
- fence and sign monitoring and repairs (all year)
- new wetland development and protection (fencing)
Contact: Palmerston North Area Community Relations team, phone +64 6 3509700 or email manawatuvolunteers@doc.govt.nz
Round Bush Scenic Reserve
North of Foxton this is one of the few remnants of coastal forest remaining in the area.
Activities include:
- tree planting (June-August)
- weeding and releasing trees (on-going)
- seed collection and propagation
Contact: Palmerston North Area Community Relations team, phone +64 6 3509700 or email manawatuvolunteers@doc.govt.nz
Moutua Conservation Area
This is a long narrow strip of land adjoining the Manawatu River south of Foxton. Within this area there is a large wetland being restored by a local environmental group. Activities include:
- tree planting
- weed control
- pest control
- monitoring wildlife
- public awareness and fund raising
Contact: Foxton Waterfowl and Wetland Club, phone +64 6 368 1839
Other coastal opportunities
There are other coastal areas where DOC may run community volunteer activities throughout the year such as beach plantings, clean up days, weed control, bird surveys, vehicle policing and public awareness.
These include:
- Koitiata (Turakina Beach)
- Manawatu Estuary (Foxton Beach)
- Himitangi Scientific Reserve (Himitangi Beach)
Contact: Palmerston North Area Community Relations team, phone +64 6 3509700 or email manawatuvolunteers@doc.govt.nz
Ruahine Forest Park
Te Potae Project
In partnership with adjoining Māori landowners, this research project is set up to determine whether bait is necessary in stoat traps. A 20km trap line in the remote north west Ruahine has been established and is checked monthly by volunteers over a 3 day period. High level of fitness and competence in navigation is required. Volunteers are flown in and out of the area by helicopter. A further 20 km of trap line is planned to be established in 2008. Te Potae o Awarua Research Project factsheet (PDF, 203K)
Activities related to this project include:
- Checking and setting stoat trap lines (monthly)
- Monitoring threatened species e.g. NZ falcon, whio, kiwi (monthly)
- Track cutting (Dec-Jan)
- Establishing new trap line (Feb)
- Seeking sponsorship opportunities (on-going)
Contact: Palmerston North Area Community Relations team, phone +64 6 3509700 or email manawatuvolunteers@doc.govt.nz
Alice Nash Memorial Heritage Lodge
Set in the Oroua valley this hut was rebuilt in 2007 through the efforts of the Manawatu Branch of NZ Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) and the financial contribution of the Nash family. This facility is managed by NZDA who work with volunteers to maintain the hut and surrounding area.
Activities include:
- Hut maintenance
- Species monitoring
Contact: NZDA, Manawatu branch president, phone +64 6 356 8747
Oroua Blue Duck Protection Project
The Manawatu Branch of NZ Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) in partnership with DOC, Horizons Regional Council, and sponsors, is leading this project to control stoats in the Oroua Valley catchment within the Ruahine Forest Park. Stoats prey on the eggs and chicks of our native birds and are a critical threat to endangered species in the area, in particular Whio or Blue Duck. Oroua Valley stoat line infosheet (PDF, 222K)
The planned trap line will extend for 40km. So far, traps have been laid from the car park to Alice Nash Memorial Heritage Lodge, up to Iron Gates and Triangle huts, along the Tunupo and Umatoi creeks, and along the track to Tunupo high point.
Activities include:
- Laying out traps
- Clearing and re-baiting traps
- Seeking sponsorship
Volunteers will need a high level of fitness and backcountry navigation skills, including river-walking abilities.
Contact: NZDA, Manawatu branch president, Weka, phone +64 6 356 8747 or secretery Stuart Penny, email stoatless@yahoo.co.nz
Other opportunities
Other activities related to the park that volunteers can be involved include:
- Hut and track maintenance
- Threatened species surveys/monitoring including bats, snails, birds
- Pest control and monitoring
- Public awareness/information
Contact: Palmerston North Area Community Relations team, phone +64 6 3509700 or email manawatuvolunteers@doc.govt.nz
Lowland Forests
Paengaroa Scenic Reserve
At Mataroa, north of Taihape this reserve is managed as a Mainland Island to protect the many rare and threatened plant species found here.
Volunteer activities include:
- Seed collection and plant propagation
- Tree planting and maintenance
- Bat, snail, bird monitoring
- Weed control
Contact: Palmerston North Area Community Relations team, phone +64 6 3509700 or email manawatuvolunteers@doc.govt.nz
Manawatu Gorge Scenic Reserve Restoration
Close to Ashhurst, and just 20 min from Palmerston North, this reserve is part of a wider area around Manawatu Gorge that is currently the focus of a multi agency project to revitalise the biodiversity. An area at the western entrance to the gorge is the focus of the Manawatu branch of Forest and Bird.
Volunteers can assist with:
- Tree planting
- Weed control
- Seed collection and propagation
- Species monitoring
Contact: Forest and Bird Manawatu Branch Chairperson, phone +64 06 357 6962
Manawatu Gorge Track Upgrade
DOC is currently working on a project to upgrade the Manawatu Gorge Track. Metal has been flown in to a series of dump sites along the track and needs to be carted, spread and compacted. Geo-textile cloth is laid under the metal to stop it from sinking into the ground. This is a big project, which should be finished by the end of June.
Volunteers are required to help out the team working on the track during the week. It is quite hard work so volunteers will need to be fit and reasonably strong.
Tasks include:
- laying geo-textile cloth
- shovelling metal,
- wheel-barrowing metal along the track,
- raking metal
- compacting metal
Contact: Palmerston North Area Community Relations team, phone +64 6 3509700 or email manawatuvolunteers@doc.govt.nz
Threatened species
Regular surveys of key species in the area such as bats, giant land snails and whio take place.
Bats
These surveys are mainly conducted over January predominantly in the bush remnants of the Turakina Valley and surrounds in the Rangitikei region.
Snails
Surveys of the giant Powelliphanta snail species take place at several locations during the year in both the Ruahine Forest Park and some lowland forest reserves.
Whio
A population of Blue duck in the rivers of the Ruahine Forest Park is monitored annually. This job involves a high level of fitness and the ability to do lengthy days of river walking.
Contact: Palmerston North Area Community Relations team, phone +64 6 3509700 or email manawatuvolunteers@doc.govt.nz
Community projects
Kahuterawa Bush Remnant Restoration
A community group, led by Palmerston North resident Ken Rush, is working to restore the Kahuterawa Bush Remnant in Linton. The remnant is on defence land and is managed as a scenic reserve.
Interested parties include the Palmerston North Rotary Club, the New Zealand Defence Force, Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School, Forest & Bird, the Department of Conservation, Horizons Regional Council, Palmerston North City Council, Green Corridors and the Linton community.
The aim is to restore the bush, and create a reserve that local schools can use as a resource for environmental education and residents can enjoy.
Activities include:
- tree planting
- weed control
- seed collecting
- pest control
- developing recreational structures (paths, picnic tables, etc)
- research
- public awareness and fund raising
Contact: Ken Rush, Kahuterawa Bush Remnant Restoration Community Group Leader, phone +64 6 357 2529 or e-mail karush@free.net.nz
A Rocha Community Group Native Plant Nursery
A Rocha is an international conservation group. Members of the local branch grow plants for local community conservation projects. They have use of the Longburn Adventisit College’s horticulture block and are kindly sharing the space with DOC Palmerston North to grow on native sand-binding plants Spinifex and Pingao for the Seeds for Schools programme.
Members of A Rocha meet at the horticulture block every second Sunday. DOC volunteers are welcome to join in and support their efforts.
Activities include:
- weed control
- seed collecting
- seed sowing
- potting on
- general maintenance and fencing
- public awareness and fund raising
Contact: Palmerston North Area Community Relations team, phone +64 6 3509700 or email manawatuvolunteers@doc.govt.nz
Green Corridors
Green Corridors is a voluntary group which works in cooperation with Palmerston North City Council (PNCC) to plan and oversee the planting of reserve areas in order to encourage native biodiversity.
Green Corridors’ aim is to build corridors of native vegetation which provides habitat for wildlife along streams from the Tararua Ranges to the Manawatu River, with an initial focus on Turitea then Kahuterawa Stream valleys and tributaries. In the last 8 years, Green Corridors has planted over 60,000 eco-sourced native plants in 14ha of gullies in the Summerhill area and 9.5ha of riparian margin along the Turitea Stream.
The group has around 10,000 trees to plant this year, and would really appreciate help with the planting. Volunteers will also be able to go out with the Green Corridors planting supervisor on Thursdays.
Visit Environment Network Manawatu - Green Corridors for more information.
Contact: Green Corridors Project Officer Geoff Wilkinson, Palmerston North City Council, phone +64 6 356 8199 or email geoff.wilkinson@pncc.govt.nz; or Green Corridors Administrator Sally Lloyd, Palmerston North City Council, phone +64 6 356 8199 or email sally.lloyd@pncc.govt.nz.
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