Walked the stream

There is some concern at the lack of fish visible in the stream. The water looks good and healthy. I walked the stream length to the Waikato River in case a culvert had a vertical fall at the outlet end preventing fishlings coming up the stream but this was not the case. In fact there was only one culvert and that was under Hukanui Road. See photo.

Earth Works Sexton Road

There are major earth works going on at the end of Sexton Road right on the gully edge. We have concerns of unwanted soil being pushed over the gully edge. This makes it difficult for us to weed and plant out and there is a danger that silt gets washed into the stream causing a major challenge to fauna. To bring awareness to the contractors that this action would be illegal we have erected two signs.

Kahikatea natural regeneration

It’s not a very good photo but this very small kahikatea seedling was spotted growing on the gully floor. The nearest seeding trees are at the back of Hukanui School which is not all that far to fly in a direct line if you were a bird. Natural regeneration is so pleasing to see because that is ultimately what restoration is all about. All we are doing early on is helping nature to do its thing.

Flax planting

We have started to work into the black berry at the base of the gully at Sexton Road. There is a natural wet patch at the base so we cleared this and planted flax with a few Mahoe planted around the top edge.

Halo Photo Competition

Do you have a good photo, that you have taken, (most important) of a Tui or Bell Bird sitting in your "pictures" file on your computer? Why not get it into halo@waikatoregion.govt.nz/hamiltonhalo by Friday 30th September and see if it is a winning shot?

Double click on poster to enlarge

Sept Working bee

We are so far ahead with all our work in the gully we thought for the Saturday working bee this month we would support a conservation week project, planting at Lake Areare in Driver Road, Horsham Downs. This is a lake that is being restored right on our back door step. Open the pdf attached to your latest email for details or ring 854-0973 for details.
You can get to Lake Areare,Driver Road either by Lake Road to Howard Road then left into Driver Road or River Road, into Speedy Road then to right into Driver Road.

Board walk

The first stage of the gully board walk is almost complete. You can now walk a small circuit down the steps beside the walk bridge and follow the track round to the right taking you under the willow canopy. You then go over the creek and along the board walk which will take you out to the grass area that has just been planted. A track reserve has been allowed for through the planting out onto the concrete pad.
The board walk is through a flood plain so has been designed as a semi permanent structure. The idea is that if it gets pushed out of alignment during a flood it can easy be put back in place. We will know if the theory works with the first good flood. If the design is successful we are hoping to carry on up the gully to come out at Sexton Road.
Go down and have a look and while you are there spend some time observing the regeneration that is happening under the willow canopy.