Fund raising successes

Nine desks sold - great value for the purchasers

We have had the opportunity to raise funds from several sources over the last few months.  Statistics NZ donated 9 desks that were surplus to requirements after the census. These were sold off through our network raising $560, commission on selling bait stations at the Waikato show raised $45, a power point presentation to the Chartwell  Garden Club was rewarded with a generous and unexpected $50 thank you cheque and a working bee at a neighbouring gully property earned us $350.  This totals $1005. With money in the bank it just makes our working and planning projects in the gully just that much easier. The generosity of all those people and organizations is much appreciated.

Power point presentation available

 Just after clearing weeds two years ago

A power point presentation on our gully activities was put together for the Chartwell Garden Club. This is now available to any group or organization that may be looking for a guest speaker. The presentation takes about 30 minutes plus question time. Your group would have to supply a projector that a laptop can plug into and a screen or a suitable blank wall. If you are interested give Rex a ring on 854-0973.

The two photos are from the power point presentation.

Two years on, native regrowth

Gully tracks




Map created by Kerry Jones, DOC, Hamilton. Double click to enlarge

 Like cheese, good things take time. The map with the tracks on is finally finished into a form that can go onto the blog. It has also been put onto the page "The Gully" as a quick reference.



Ready for the autumn rains

The shade house is doing what it supposed to do. It is full to over flowing with plants for this autumns planting. It is not really big enough so some of us still have a number of plants at home. Then again we probably always would! There was talk of extending the shade house as soon as it was finished but we are not sure there is enough enthusiasm to do that. It was quite a job to get it to the stage it’s at.

Grey Willows

We have a policy of retaining the willow trees to suppress exotic weeds and acted as a canopy cover for the understory until the native canopy trees have enough maturity but we are finding that we are gradually thinning them as they either fall over or snap off.  Both of which the Grey Willows are prone to do particularly since the Honey Suckle vine has been removed. Once a tree gets a bit of a lean on, because of the very muddy ground, the weight of the top gradually, over a number of months, brings the tree over. When they lean over a track we have to remove them.

Fantails in the gully

There appears to be a healthy population of Fantails in the gully at the moment. When the bait stations were being check over Easter fantails were present the whole time while walking down the length of the gully. In some cases several were present. I hope this is the result of a good breeding season due to the eradication of possums and rats and not just a seasonal phenomenon.

Gully slope reconstruction

There have been some questions being asked about the gully slope reconstruction being carried out by the northern stream crossing. This is nothing to do with our gully care group. The bank was showing signs of movement and the work being carried out is to stabilise that. It is being done by the land owner in consultation with Hamilton City Council. The council will be planting on the bank this coming winter.