News & Events

The colour Summer Edition of the Otatara Pigeon Post is here (PDF, 2.20 MB)

Also this week Chilean Flame Creeper weeding at Bowman Bush 6.30pm-8.30pm tonight and Bushy Point tree releasing on Wednesday 15 and 22 February - 6.30-7.30pm

Weeding tonight - Wednesday 8 February is cancelled due to weather but there are more to look forward to. See you at Bryson Road entrance next Wednesday 15 February at 6.30pm (and the following Wednesdays) - full details.

Monday 13 February 2023 - Chilean Flame Creeper pulling at Bowman Bush - 6.30-8.30pm - Leader Jesse Bythell QEII National Trust. Bring gloves and good footwear and meet at Spence Avenue entrance to Bowman Bush.

Sunday 19 February 2023 - Working Bee at Bushy Point 1-3pm - meet at Bryson Road or wander through and see where we are working.

Otatara Landcare Group is organising tree releasing sessions at Bushy Point each Wednesday in February, starting 1 February, and possibly extending into March, from 6.30-7.30pm, weather permitting.

Meet at the Bryson Rd entrance to Bushy Point.

The plantings carried out on Tree Planting Day last September will be checked first, then we will move on to other areas where some seedlings still need releasing from encroaching grass etc if they are to survive and prosper. Various methods can be used to release the trees and suppress competing grass growth, as will be shown.

Please bring:

shoes or gumboots suitable for working in long grass

gardening gloves

clothing suitable for the expected weather conditions

a face mask if you are allergic to dust or grass seeds

safety (or other) glasses to protect eyes when weeding amid tall grass stalks

optionally, a pair of sharp garden shears suitable for cutting grass.

Please contact Douglas Black on 022 104 8661 for more information or to find out where we are working on the night.

If you are a resident in Otatara you should have had the Pigeon Post delivered to your door. Here is the colour version (PDF, 2.17 MB). Enjoy.

Over 90 people helped plant 1100 local native plants on 11 September 2022. On the previous Friday OLG committee and helpers put the plants out on-site from Linda and Rays special Bushy Point plants area. On the planting day mist shrouded the site early morning but people and cars filed in from the Bryson Road entrance. Barry gave a welcome and health and safety talk then people split into small groups with planting leaders and headed off to the various planting sites at 10am. As people planted and moved closer to the gathering area the smell of onions and sausages from the bbq tended by Linda and Cathy came wafting over to the planters. This gave added motivation to get the last remaining plants in and covered by midday!! By then the sun was fully out and made for a glorious day. Barrys organisation of the day was fantastic and just over 1100 plants were planted adding to the previous 31,000 plants for the site since the year 2000. A new self-guided walk brochure has been made for the site by Cathy Macfie and Helen Duston and is avaiable at the Bryson Road entrance to pick up when you next go for a walk at Bushy Point. You can also print it out yourself here (PDF, 674.01 kB).