Weeds away at working bee

Cutting away weeds and creepers surrounding the native plants at Te Hōnonga a Iwi Restoring Rosedale Park was the main mission for this month’s community working bee.

Fifteen volunteers, including North Harbour Hockey Association Board members and staff and youth leaders from the project, turned up to help with the work.

Auckland Council’s Dan Marrow supplied flax knives which were used to cut away and release the weeds surrounding the plants in two main areas where kikuyu is growing.

Weeds and creepers will be eliminated from the rest of the site during two working bees planned for April. A community working bee will be held on Saturday, April 22, from 9am to 11am behind Hilton Brown Swimming and a business working bee will be held on Wednesday, April 26, from 3pm to 4.30pm on site.

Please RSVP to hello@restoringrosedalepark.org.nz if you are interested in taking part.

“There are no special skills needed to do this work and it’s much easier than last year’s mulch collecting sessions,” says project co-ordinator Nicky Shave.

As well as maintaining the existing restoration site, the project team is planning to open up a new area for planting.

“We have applied for consent to extend the restoration and we hope to mow and sow cover crop in May ready to plant in Spring,” Nicky says.