North Harbour businesses and the local community are working together on a ground-breaking five-year project to restore an area of Rosedale Park using bio-organic methods to revitalise the land and the adjacent AlexanderStream.
Project lead Nicky Shave from North Harbour Hockey Association says the planting and pest management programme will promote soil health and water quality, improve tree survival and create a safer environment for birds and wildlife within the park and the wider surrounds.
“This will make the park a place where local people will want to go to connect with nature.”
It’s also likely to have positive impacts on other North Shore waterways downstream of Alexander Stream.
There are a range of stakeholders working alongside the North Harbour business community to bring the project to life, including local iwi, nearby residents, community groups, educational and tertiary institutes in the area and sporting bodies using the park.
There are still plenty of opportunities for businesses in the area committed to sustainability or volunteers interested in environmental wellbeing to get involved, Nicky says.
“We need more businesses or people to contribute services, equipment, or funds to ensure the success of this project – this could include volunteer labour, rainwater from your roofline, plumbing and engineering services, transport, supply of pallets, large rocks, renewable energy equipment and expertise, pumps, signage, IBCs, waste management, instructional design skills, website management, social media expertise, legal advice or integrated value consults relating to the project outcomes.”
There are environmental learning opportunities available to people from the community of all ages and abilities, Nicky says.
Project goals include increasing environmental wellbeing by increasing biodiversity, reducing
waste, reducing pollution and reducing greenhouse gases to mitigate the effects of climate change using bio-organic methodologies.
It will also provide ongoing analysis of water quality and water conservation, aquatic
biodiversity, bird counts, soil health, plant survival and growth, pest management counts and control, carbon emissions and international integrated value reporting
It's hoped that project will demonstrate the feasibility of using bio-organic processes to control weed, with a view to expanding this approach across Tāmaki Makaurau.
If you would like to get involved, contact Nicky Shave on scottshavefamily@gmail.com or
call 027 270 2736.