Award Nominee

Waikato Rivercare was initiated in 2000 and incorporated in 2002 as the Lower Waikato River Enhancement Society Inc. Waikato Rivercare has successfully established four separate projects.

1. Meremere opposite the old power station. The site is grazing land fenced to eliminate livestock from the river for water quality purposes. Planting with native trees has been key to preventing the establishment of weeds.

2. Rangiriri along Churchill East road on Environment Waikato Land. This site is also planted on retired grazing land with minimal weed problems. Planting with native trees has been undertaken to prevent the establishment of weeds

3. Huntly College This site is about 600 metres long, adjacent to the college on the left bank in Huntly. Before starting the project the land (between the river and the stop bank ) was covered with willow, alder, gorse, honey suckle and wandering jew (Tradescantia flumenensis) Initially the site received one spray with glyphosate prior to planting 6000 native trees and shrubs. After two years it was found that there had been insufficient weed control and a contractor was hired to clear the bulk of weeds from the surviving plants. A spray programme was developed by the contractor and the site management team. This spray programme involved successive applications of firstly glyphosate then GRAZON to control Tradescantia. Currently there are a few persistent areas of Tradescantia and some convolvulus (bindweed) but much of the area has been cleared of weeds and a range of native plants has been established.

4. Hakarimata Road. This project covers 1 km of road reserve adjacent to the Waikato River on the left bank immediately downstream from Ngaruawahia. The project was started by the adjoining landowner in 1998 and became a Waikato Rivercare project in 2003 when funding for its continuation was sought from WEL Energy Trust. The site was initially covered with crack willow, alder, chinese privet, hawthorn, japanese honeysuckle, pampas and Tradescantia. There were a few remnant natives; mahoe, karamu, cabbage tree, two species of carex, pigeonwood, and mamaku.

Initially the aim was to remove the weeds but it was soon realised that there was a need to establish an alternative plant regime to replace the weeds. Restoration of the pre human ecosystem became part of the plan. Willows were cut down and burned along with other woody species. Grass which subsequently established was sprayed with glyphosate to expose the Tradescantia beneath. Trials for the control of Tradescantia were undertaken including raking up and composting or burning, spraying with glyphosate, escort, tordon, amatrole, and GRAZON. Eventually successive spraying with GRAZON over a year was found to be necessary to ensure no regrowth. Complete control was the target because it was considered preferable to ongoing control. Although Tradescantia does not threaten mature trees and shrubs the thick carpet prevents regeneration, essential for competition between species and succession of species.

A planting plan was developed by surveying nearby remnants of riparian forest and observing ecological succession in the area. An area of 300 metres by between ten and twenty metres was treated in this way, with around 3000 plants grown from ecosourced seed specifically for the project.

In 2003 funding from WEL Energy Trust was sought and $5000 was granted for weed control. Experience had shown that the trees planted had a competitive advantage over the short lived herbaceous weeds in the shade of the willows and that the Tradescantia was easer to control without ongoing regrowth of Yorkshire fog and beggars ticks under the willows.

A university student was employed over the summer to remove the lower branches, small shrubs and cut off the honeysuckle at the ground and chest height. Follow up spray to control any honeysuckle regrowth and the Tradescantia was repeated over the next year to ensure good control before planting.

Trials of several plant container sizes have been undertaken and various release programmes have been tried to determine the most economical approach.

To date 500 metres and about 5000 plants have been planted and a further 500 metres has been cleared. There are, however small remnants of weeds in the unplanted section that need eliminating before planting is completed

As a result of this project, efficient programmes for weed control and native planting have been developed and applied to the Huntly College site and promoted through the Hamilton City Gully Suggestions Service. Waikato District Council has initiated four school weed clearing and planting programmes in Ngaruawahia and trained a local contractor to apply the skills and techniques developed. These techniques are also being taught to landowners in the Tamahere Gully system through a Waikato District Council subsidised programme.

The society is made up of private citizens and representatives of Waikato Regional Council, Waikato District Council, Mighty River Power, Genesis Energy, Federated Farmers, Auckland Waikato Fish and Game, NZ Landcare trust and Tainui Raupatu Lands Trust. Waikato Rivercare has a vision to establish a showpiece of healthy Waikato River riparian habitat based around native plant species.

Help with this project has come from: Environment Waikato Plant Pest Officer Phillip Mabin, Conservation Corps, Taskforce Green, Ngaruawahia Community Board, Ngaruawahia Lions, the community of Ngaruawahia, WEL Energy Trust, Dow Agrosciences,

The land for the Hakarimata project is Waikato District Council road reserve. It took a long time to have ownership acknowledged by the council and it was important to have permission from the landowner. Being part of a larger group recognised by the council was a help. Being part of Waikato Rivercare also gave great opportunities to network, and understand other perspectives.

Maintaining community interest over several years has been a challenge. The community newspaper has been helpful however it has been necessary to make each years planting activity a unique event. The first event was easy, other years different groups have been invited to take part. Five years is probably the limit for community enthusiasm for one project and it is time to move to a fresh project with a new vision.

Funding for Rivercare’s projects was also easy when it was a new project more latterly the group has had to look to sustainable funding sources like direct sponsorship.

Waikato Rivercare has shown dedication to weedbusting on sites along the Waikato River and has formed partnerships with a variety of management agencies to achieve successful results. The group has also involved the local community in the weedbusting and subsequent planting of sites. This involvement of the community has extended the group into an educative role which is a valuable extension of their primary weedbusting and restoration work.

Moira Cursey, Waikato Biodiversity Forum (nominator)