Joanne Youthed reports on the latest working bee down at the nursery, where there’s good things happening! We had a fabulous day at the nursery today, with a great turn out and about 300 plants potted up into PB3 bags! John and Andrew took 400 plants up to the top of Te Ngahere o TawaContinue reading “Nursery Working Bee a huge success”
Author Archives: Friends of Tawa Bush
KETE Project update
Here is a great encouraging update from Sue Lum regarding the Kete project and Friends of Tawa Bush: …At the end of term one, Link teachers from each of our Tawa schools joined myself and Joanne Youthed on a bushwalk in Wilf Mexted Reserve to learn about seed collection, followed by an introduction to theContinue reading “KETE Project update”
Resurgence of kererū numbers in Tawa reserves
Seeds from many native trees rely on kererū for dispersal. With the extinction the huia and moa, kererū are the only native birds with a wide enough mouth to swallow large fruit. These include fruit of karaka, pūriri, taraire and tawa. The North Island kokako can also consume these fruit but their natural distribution doesContinue reading “Resurgence of kererū numbers in Tawa reserves”
Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – Brachyglottis repanda, Rangiora
Source of names: Rangiora is a member of the Aster family of plants (Asteraceae) and includes asters, daisies and sunflowers. Brachyglottis means ‘short tongue’ and refers to the small size of the ray florets within the flowers. The species name repanda means ‘undulating edges’ and refers to the margins of the broad leaves. The MāoriContinue reading “Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – Brachyglottis repanda, Rangiora”
Have you sighted the flowering rātā tree from Takapu Road?
This remaining northern rata was one of many trees of this species, along with rimu trees that dominated the native bush in the Tawa area at the time of European settlement from the 1840s onwards. It’s probably the largest remaining northern rātā in the wider Tawa region. However, trees were felled for local use andContinue reading “Have you sighted the flowering rātā tree from Takapu Road?”
Guided native bush walk, 2pm Sunday 4 December 2022
People are invited to participate in this guided walk, led by members of ‘Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves’ (FOTBR). The walk will be through part of Redwood Bush, from Achilles Close through to Peterhouse Street and include the newly established, signed botanical walk. Depending on time, Larsen Crescent Reserve will also be included in theContinue reading “Guided native bush walk, 2pm Sunday 4 December 2022”
Kakariki sighted!
Gil Roper reports that four juvenile kakariki were heard and then sighted in Redwood Bush on Monday morning 14 November, 2022. They were seen by members of the U3A Botany group near the two huge pukatea trees, beside the stream that crosses the track in the gully between Achilles Close and Peterhouse Street. As theseContinue reading “Kakariki sighted!”
Nursery provides plants and assistance to KETE group
The nursery provided some plants (Harakeke, wineberry, Tī Kōuka and Kōtukutuku) to the KETE group on 18th October, organised by Sue Lum. Joanne Youthead helped Sue with transporting them and laying them out at Greenacres school, with Andrew Liley to help plant. Great team effort and involvement of our local schools in improving our environment/ecosystems!
Successful launch of new book ‘Redwood Bush, Tawa’
This book, published by Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves (FOTBR) was launched on Tuesday evening 18 October 2022 in the Tawa Community Centre, with over 70 people present. Gary Beecroft, President of FOTBR chaired the evening. Following refreshments, Andy Foster (Patron of FOTBR) spoke on the extensive restoration of native flora and fauna in theContinue reading “Successful launch of new book ‘Redwood Bush, Tawa’”
Signed Botanical Walk now open in Redwood Bush
Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves (FOTBR) has designed, financed and installed signs for a botanical walk that features twenty of the native trees in Redwood Bush. Each sign has text and visual images pertaining to features of the trees for interest to walkers, but also to provide an educational purpose for the variety of groupsContinue reading “Signed Botanical Walk now open in Redwood Bush”
Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves 