23 May 2013

Community Planting Day Will Enhance Karamu

A community planting day to celebrate Arbor Day next month will add to the enhancement of the Karamu Stream.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council will be holding the planting day on Saturday 8 June from 9am to 2pm on the banks of the Karamu Stream near Whakatu. People are welcome to come when they like for as long as they like and help plant 3000 trees, shrubs and flaxes on the banks above the stream.

Access will be from Ruahapia Road and across the other side of the stream via the new i-Way swing bridge.

“Planting days are always fun and people have helped to make great progress alongside the Karamu Stream, with community plantings now well established near Havelock and Clive,” says Stephen Cave, HBRC Operations Environmental Manager.

“People are reporting an increase in birds in their neighbourhoods thanks to these planting schemes. This planting will add another link in a corridor alongside the stream, helped by Kohupatiki, Ruahapia and Pakipaki marae who have been planting native and medicinal species on their land alongside the stream.”

With widespread concerns about endangered species like the long-finned eels, planting along streams can help restore suitable habitat for eels and other native fish.

This will also link with a new HuB programme – Hawke’s Bay Urban Biodiversity – which will be involving residents on the west bank of the Karamu in possum control. The Karamu HuB programme will start in mid to late June and HBRC contractors will be working with residents from St Andrews Road to Whakatu.

Mr Cave says that families with young children are very welcome and there will be no planting in or near the water to make for a safer planting day.

HBRC will provide spade, plants and a free sausage sizzle and asks that anyone coming to the planting brings drinking water, a hat, suitable footwear and their community spirit.

The planting will go ahead even if the weather is damp; any cancellation will be due to very adverse weather conditions and will be posted on HBRC’s Facebook page on Friday, the day before the planting.

Arbor Day and World Environment Day are both celebrated annually on 5 June.

ENDS

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