… formed in June 2002, our vision is to protect and enhance Te Pahu’s natural indigenous environment and recreational opportunities through community awareness and involvement for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone.
for more info on our vision, goals and projects please click here
2019: Final weeding for this year is Sunday 9th December. Meeting at the Kaniwhaniwha Reserve 9.30am to 12pm. See you there.
2018:
Community planting day for our group on Sunday 16th September which is the first Sunday of Conservation Week.
Te Pahu Landcare Group Weedbusting Workshop.Sunday 12th August from 9.30am to 12pm at the Kaniwhanwha Reserve. Ben Elliot, Pest Plant Officer for WRC will provide information on tools, herbicides and techniques for dealing with weeds such as woolly nightshade, tradescantia, blackberry and more. All welcome. Please RSVP to Nardene and if the weather is really bad, we can go indoors if necessary. Phone 825 9112 or email: nardeneberry@yahoo.co.nz
Monthly weeding session for July is Sunday 8th July. Meeting in the Kaniwhaniwha Reserve carpark at 9.30am. Bring along your weapons of destruction, although there will be some grubbers available for those that would like them, gloves, water, snacks, etc. The forecast is for rain, so wear appropriate clothing. Look forward to seeing you there!
Weeding in 2017:
Meet 9am on Sunday 27th August at the Kāniwhaniwha Reserve carpark, Limeworks Loop Rd, to walk to site. Bring spade, water, and snacks. Wear sturdy shoes and suitable clothing for planting in all weather. Sausage sizzle upon completion with thanks to DOC. Look forward to seeing you!
April’s Second Sunday Shredder is the 9th April and we will go back to the Nikau Walkway, so hope to see you there. Remember a drink, hat, tools, gloves and wear sturdy footwear. We will meet at 9.30am in the Kaniwhaniwha Reserve Carpark and work through till 12pm. Hope to see you there.
We had a great turnout at our first weeding of the year in February and had a satisfying time pulling weeds from under a kahikatea stand on Te Pahu Road, managing to clear the whole stand! It was a job well done, and thanks again to those that came along.
For March, we decided to tackle the weeds along the Nikau Walkway, as the blackberry and bind weed are starting to impede access as well as smother the native plantings.
If you have a grubber, do bring that along, as well as gloves and long-sleeved pants and top. Other weapons of destruction that could be useful include lopers and maybe a rake would be handy too.
Remember a drink, hat and wear sturdy footwear. We will meet at 9.30am on Sunday 12th March in the Kaniwhaniwha Reserve Carpark and work through till 12pm. Hope to see you there.
Come along and support the local Te Pahu landcare group with our monthly weeding session on Sunday 11th September from 9.30am to 11.30am at the Kaniwhaniwha Reserve, Limeworks Loop Road. Bring gloves and implements of destruction (spade, rake, loppers, grubber etc). We will be working within the Reserve itself, as there is some blackberry to deal to, and some Montbretia to dig out.
Bring a drink and picnic and/or your bikes and afterwards you can enjoy a well deserved break by the stream where your picnic will taste all the better after your good work, and then you could bike along the Nikau walkway to the campground and bike the loop track, or bring a torch and explore the Kaniwhaniwha caves.
Family friendly and will happen whatever the weather, so come prepared. Children who participate can get a ‘Explorer’ medal – see: http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/toyota-kiwi-guardians/claim-your-kiwi-guardians-medal/explorer-medal/
Look forward to seeing you there.
Instead of having a Third Thursday Thrasher in November, we’re going to have a social function instead! Thursday 19th November. Bring your family and some picnic food and drink, meet at the Kaniwhaniwha Reserve from 4pm (to 6pm-ish) and we will go down to Tony’s memorial seat and have a festive evening. Hope to see you there.
Then for the final Third Thursday Thrasher of the year, we will change it to the SECOND Thursday instead and go back to the Karamu Reserve to pull out the jerusalem cherry and privet. Bring some gloves and lopers and we’ll see if we can clear the jerusalem cherry on the dry part. We will meet outside the paddock at Slim and Viv’s place on Grove Road. Hope to see you there. Thursday 10th December. 4pm- 6pm.
Now that it’s daylight saving, let’s meet from 4pm – 6pm, unless it’s pouring with rain, and then it’s pretty sheltered under the trees, so should still be okay.
Third Thursday Thrasher – Thursday 20th August! Let’s do something different! Meet at the Kaniwhaniwha Reserve from 1pm (to 3pm) and do some weeding in the Reserve itself. Hope to see you there.
Third Thursday Thrasher – Thursday 16th July. At the risk of sounding repetitive, let’s go back to removing the bind weed up the Nikau Walkway. Remember, It’s about half way along the Nikau Walkway and quite a large area. As it’s school holidays, children are welcome, bring some snacks and water for them. Let’s try from 12pm – 2pm, unless it’s pouring with rain. Hope to see you there.
Third Thursday Thrasher – Thursday 18th June. Unfortunately, due to the heavy rain last month, we didn’t make much progress on removing the bind weed up the Nikau Walkway, so let’s go back there this month. It’s about half way along the Nikau Walkway and quite a large area.
I can’t make it this month, so how about anyone that is willing and able to, can go whenever they can – you don’t even have to do it on Thursday! : )
Waikato Botanical Society field trip
Pirongia Forest Park – Nikau Loop and Schofield Route
18th April from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
A walk through lowland podocarp / broadleaf forest via a little used route. The quickest way to get the the Kaniwhaniwha Camp Site is by Bicycle (20 minutes from Reserve Carpark) otherwise it’s a 45 minute walk from the car park. The ridge that we will follow heads off from the Southern End of the Nikau Walk. The ridge is not marked but reasonably easy to follow. If we have time we will come back down the old Schofield route otherwise we will return the way we came. We aim to get out of the bush by 4:30.
Meet: Kaniwhaniwha Car Park (Karamu Limeworks Road) at 9:00 or Kaniwhaniwha Camp Site at 10:00
Grade: Medium – Hard
Third Thursday Thrasher – 19th March 2015. 5 – 7pm. Let’s go back to the Smith Road block and weed the convolvulus from around our plantings. Park on the north end of Grove Road.
Third Thursday Thrasher – the first one for 2015 – On the 15th January 2015. We will release the plants we planted a couple of years ago under the kahikatea stand on Waikoha Station on Te Pahu road (near the bends just after Grove Road if you are heading north). You will need to park well off the verge and climb the fence. Clippers will be most useful, as most of the weeds are just grasses around the plants. I may not be here for this TTT, so if someone else can lead this one, that would be great. As it’s still holidays for the children, they are most welcome. Let’s start at 4pm and go to 6pm like last time, when it’s a bit cooler and the plants will be in shade. Any queries, give me a call. Groovy.
Third Thursday Thrasher – Thursday 18th December 2014 – last one of the year – meet at Grove Road, outside Slim and Viv’s – bring weeding tools and a plate to share. From 4 – 6pm. We’ll do some weeding, then have a small festive celebration. Hope to see you there. More info phone Nardene
Seed Collection. Information from Wayne Bennett on native plant species and their seed collection times is here.
Tony Fraser Memorial Seat:
This seat was created by the Te Pahu landcare group in memory of Tony Fraser in August 2008 – Tony had the initial idea of starting a care group in Te Pahu. Many thanks to Daryl for the construction and placement of the seat, as it is enjoyed by many visitors to the Reserve.
view looking to the left
view looking ahead.
view to the right.
Bio-control agent tradescantia leaf beetle (Neolema ogloblini) release in Karamu Reserve
Thursday 14th April 2011 Opening the container:
During the release:
Two of the next generation of the Te Pahu landcare group were involved in the first release of the bio-control agent tradescantia leaf beetle (Neolema ogloblini) in an effort to control Tradescantia fluminensis (wandering willie) in the Waikato Region today.
Further info on the beetle here:
Thanks to staff at Waikato Regional Council, Te Pahu Landcare group members, Paul Etheredge and Martin Dew, Pest Plant Control Contractors Chris Hale and Philip Mabin and the NZ Landcare Trust.
For further details please contact Nardene Berry
How can I help?
A map/inventory is being produced to provide a resource of information on the natural and historic features of the Te Pahu district. View it here
Do you know of interesting natural or historic features of the Te Pahu district that could be marked on the map?
If you have a stand of kahikatea trees on your farm, you might like a copy of the pamphlet on kahikatea recently produced by Waikato Regional Council
Contact Nardene landcare@tepahu.co.nz