Woodridge planters

PAPARANGI SCOUTS PLANTING:
Saturday 1 November, 9.00 am - noon
Paparangi Scouts will be coming to plant an area near to the stream and also near to the area in which they planted 180 trees last year. We are aiming to plant 130 kanuka, manuka, flax, mahoe, puka, akeake, tarata, totara and other native plants.

What happened: 11 scouts (with 4 adult scout leaders) worked really hard on an extremely windy day and planted 142 trees and shrubs in a little over two hours. Then we retired for lunch. Thank you to Tony and the scouts, and also to Trish, from Woodridge Planters, who also helped out. 1,150 trees have been planted so far this winter.

SECOND ADOPT A SPOT PLANTING:
Sunday 12 October, 9.30 - 10.30 am
A second family on Cedarwood Street has arranged to work with Woodridge Planters on planting and maintaining the bank below the family's house, on the eastern boundary of Kentwood Drive Reserve. We aim to plant approximately 40 manuka, toetoe, kanuka, karamu, cabbage trees and hebe.

What happened: Superb weather and with a really good turnout of 12 neighbours we planted 72 trees in just over an an hour on a very difficult slope! More than a thousand trees have been planted this winter in Kentwood Drive Reserve.

PLANTING IN SETON NOSSITER PARK:
Sunday 5 Octber, 1-3 pm (Mark Avenue entrance)
Wellington City Council has put aside some trees for planting in the Park and has asked Woodridge Planters to help find people to put them in. The Seton Nossiter Park Working Group has worked very effectively for more than a decade on the site, both at a practical level and in an advocacy role. However, since the passing of Lawson Robertson late last year, there has been no planting at the Park. Chair of the Working Group, Bruce Patterson, and Peter Gilberd from Woodridge Planters have taken up Council's offer. If you can help, please ring Peter - 470 5778 (W), 971 2920 (H), or meet at 1 pm at the Mark Avenue carpark. If you arrive after 1 pm, walk down the track for a few minutes and you will find us. Bring a spade, gloves and boots - some spare spades and gloves are available.

What happened: Twenty-three people appeared promptly at 1 pm and had 230 plants in the ground by 2.15 pm. Wonderful effort! Thank you very much to everyone involved - Trish, Bruce, Dawn, Averiil, Lois, Tim, Harry. Elise, Christina, Blair, Lisa, Daniel, Rhys, Ewen, Gillian, Paul, Ashlea, Duncan, Lorelle, Jessie, Stu, Peter and Brenda. Plants were mainly flax (160) and toetoe (40) but also cabbage trees, manuka, kanuka and karamu.

FAMILY PLANTING:
Sunday 27 September, 1-4 pm
Come along and plant two or three shrubs on the banks of the stream, at the northern end of the Reserve (at the very bottom of Kentwood Drive), have a snack and soft drink, and select a plant to take home.

What happened: It was sensational weather and the turnout matched the day. More than 40 people turned up (with lots of children with their parents and grandparents, representing 20 families in all), and together we put in an amazing 148 plants (amazing, given the difficulty of the site). A wonderful day and a big advance on beautifying the stream banks adjacent to Kentwood Drive, and improving the stream environment. Many thanks to everybody that helped in one way or another.

ADOPT A SPOT PLANTING:
Sunday 21 September
A few of the regulars and a family on Cedarwood Street planted the bank below the family's house, on the eastern boundary of Kentwood Drive Reserve. 66 toetoe, kanuka, manuka, karamu and cabbage trees were planted. The family have adopted this spot, and will look after the trees until they are established. We would love to hear from any other households that are interested in doing the same thing.

VISIT FROM WWF :
Sunday 31 August
Jen Riches and Cristy Cameron from WWF (Principal sponsor of Woodridge Planters, along with the Wellington City Council) and photographer Louise Hatton visited the site and talked to Phil, Kevin, Steve and Peter. They wrote a story (http://www.wwf.org.nz/index.php/about_us/features/entry/the_conservation_connection/) for Conservation Week, which was carried in the 18 September issue of "The Wellingtonian".

ART OF LIVING PLANTING:
Saturday 23 August
25 people from the Art of Living group came to plant today as part of the UN Millennium Campaign. They planted 250 trees at the southern end of the park. For the third time in a row, the weather was perfect. They were a great group and made a big impact.

ANZ CORPORATE PLANTING:
Thursday 7 August.
6 hard-working volunteers from the ANZ Bank, arranged through Volunteer Wellington, completed the planting of the bank behind the houses at the lower end of Cedarwood Street. They planted 150 more shrubs and trees, helped shift a big pile of compost, marked the plants with stakes, and installed irrigation. The bank looks fantastic.

STREAMSIDE PLANTING:
Saturday/Sunday 20-21 July.
55 reeds planted were planted on the very edge of the stream.

2008 COMMUNITY PLANTING:
Sunday 13 July.
Enter the reserve at the entrance on the corner of Cedarwood St and Kentwood Drive. The planting will start at 10 am, there will be a break for lunch at 12 noon, and planting will finish at 2 pm. Please come for as long or as short a time as you wish. Bring a spade, gloves and bucket. We aim to plant approximately 400 trees on the bank behind the houses at the lower end of Cedarwood St and the existing bush. Enquiries to Peter Gilberd - 470 5778 (Wk), 971 2920 (Hm).

What happened: 27 people helped in one way or another. We cleared the remaining gorse and planted 250 trees and shrubs - mainly, toetoe, wineberry, hebe, manuka, kanuka, flax, cabbage trees, puka and karamu. It looks great!

EXPLORE THE BUSH WALKS IN WOODRIDGE:
Saturday 31 May 2008
Meet near the bus stop at the bottom of Kentwood Drive at 3 pm. Phil Donaldson will lead a walk along some new tracks in the area

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:
Thursday 29 May 2008
42 B Kentwood Drive, 7.15 -. 8.15 pm
Guest speaker: Michele Rowe (Chairperson, Newlands Paparangi Progressive Association)
The AGM will be held from 7.15 - 7.45 pm, followed by dessert and a discussion with our guest speaker.
Please let Peter know if you are attending (470 5778, peter.gilberd@rsnz.org)

OBITUARY - LAWSON ROBERTSON
Woodridge Planters would like to express their condolences to the family of Lawson Robertson, a stalwart of the Newlands Paparangi community,
who passed away on 9 November, 2007, aged 77.

Among his many roles, Lawson was a keen environmentalist. Over the years he has done an enormous amount of work in Seton Nossiter Park, which is on the western boundary of Woodridge. Lawson was also very supportive of our Woodridge communty's planting efforts. He provided the group with seed of local native plants and also kept us informed of developments in other local parks, such as the new walking track in Seton Nossiter Park that will be officially opened in the next month or two.

Lawson's funeral was attended by hundreds of people, reflecting his wide involvement in the community and the respect in which he was held.

We have lost a real "doer".

Peter Gilberd


Help Us Plant Trees!
The park and surrounding bush at the bottom of Kentwood Drive will become a flourishing urban forest that is home for birds, leisure and inspiration for people, and encourages more people to get involved in protecting the environment.
This is how we are doing it: Woodridge Forest Plan

Meet here (in the park opposite the Woodridge office, 61 Kentwood Drive) any time between 1pm & 3pm, any Saturday and spend an hour or so helping us to plant trees in this reserve.

All shapes, sizes and ages are needed – everybody can help in some way!
We need people to dig holes, fill them in, spread compost & mulch, water trees and remove weeds.
We also need help to gather and spread seeds, plant seeds and seedlings, grow seedlings and provide food for hungry workers.

In return you will:
• Make a positive impact on our environment
• Experience and contribute to the great community that’s hidden in Woodridge
• Spend quality time with your kids (and help them learn a great work ethic)
• Get good exercise

Around 50 people helped with last year's planting. This year we plan to have small, regular plantings as well as a community planting day, and even more people.

What to bring: hardy shoes and clothes, gloves, wheelbarrows, spades and shovels, yourself and your family.

Join the mailing list – we’ll send you regular updates.

Tell your friends and neighbours!

Email us at info@woodridge.org.nz