Posted: 16 August 2005
Organisers hope to plant last of 3000+ trees at Lake Omapere
Strong public support for a Lake Omapere planting project means organisers are now confident of reaching a goal to have 3000-plus native trees in the ground by this weekend.
The first of two community planting days aiming to improve the health of the 1200ha lake was held on a lakeside farm about 2km south of Okaihau on Saturday. (Saturday 13 August) A second mass planting of another 1700 trees is scheduled for 10am this Saturday (20 August) at the lake’s outfall on Lake Rd.
The planting days have been organised by the Lake Omapere Trust, with support from the Northland Regional Council and Department of Conservation, and form part of an ongoing plan to improve the lake’s health by a number of means, including restoring a buffer of native vegetation around its margins.
Kate Banbury, a Land Management Officer with the Regional Council, says 65 volunteers from around Northland descended on the lake to plant 1600 one-year-old native trees in just a couple of hours on Saturday. (13 August).
Ms Banbury says organisers are keen for another big turnout this weekend, when they hope to plant another 1700 young trees and flaxes.
“We were blown away with the turnout at the first planting day and would like to publicly express our gratitude to the volunteers. We had helpers of all ages and managed to get all the plants in the ground in just a couple of hours.”
She says organisers are also grateful to local nursery ‘damNatives’ (crrct: damNatives) which has donated about half of the trees being planted.
“These protected areas of trees will keep stock out of the lake itself, help minimise further sediment and nutrient input into its waters and also provide valuable habitat for native birds and other species.”