Posted: 27 June 2006
Plants ready for Lake Omapere planting days
More than 10,000 plants have been prepared for the three planting days planned at Lake Omapere, the first of which is being held this weekend.
Remana Henwood, of the Lake Omapere Project Management Group, says all three planting days will begin at 10am and are planned for this Saturday July 1, Saturday July 15 and Saturday July 29.
Students from Northland College have already been busy planting at the lake edge, and lots of volunteers have been splitting flax plants divided from mother plants in the area.
In winter last year more than 100 people turned out to two community planting days aimed at improving the health of the 1200-hectare lake, north of Kaikohe.
The three latest 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 various means, including restoring native vegetation around its margins.
Organisers hope up to 10,000 native trees and flaxes will be planted over about 2km of the lake’s edge on three properties.
The plantings and fencing will help keep stock out of the lake to minimise further sediment and nutrient input into the lake’s waters and also provide valuable habitat for native birds and other species.
The location of the properties to be planted and available carparking will be signposted each planting day from the corner of State Highway One and Te Pua Rd.
Further information
- Remana Henwood, Lake Omapere Project Management Group
Phone: (09) 405 7857
- Kate Banbury, Land Management Officer, Northland Regional Council
Phone: 0800 002 004
- Mita Harris, Department of Conservation
Phone: (09) 407 8474