Travis Wetland Monthly Newsletter May 2017


Travis Wetland Trust

May 2017

Workday reminder, May 20 2017

Travis Monthly Workday, Saturday May 20 2017, 9 am – noon.

Meet at the education center (the old farm house) behind the Beach Rd car park at 9 am.

Bring your own gumboots but don’t worry if you don’t have any we can loan you some.

All gear provided.

We will be working down the Matai / Totara finishing of last months work and releasing older plants.

There will be “morning tea” afterwards for those that want to stay for a chat.

Latest News

Workday April 2017

Travis workday, April 2017

Travis workday, April 2017

April 22nd saw a group of 33 keen citizen scientists at Travis for our workday.
We removed combi guards from the Trees for Canterbury planting day 2015.
These plants have done real well and were happy to have their guards removed.
As well as releasing the plants they looked for pupa and egg cases that had been laid on the guards.

Moth pupa

Moth pupa

Unfortunately when I had a chance to have a good look through them when I got them home all the pupa had hatched, as had most of the egg cases.
All sorts of other critters were found and bought for id, including one really nice dark spider a vagrant spider that goes by the name of Uliodon albopunctatus.

Time to help our friends

From https://ccc.govt.nz/the-council/news-search/show/1650

A massive volunteer effort to restore native bush on the fire-ravaged Port Hills is about to get under way.

About 7200 plants are being delivered and sorted in preparation for Port Hills Restoration Planting Days to be held on 12 dates over the next four months.
The first of these replanting days is Thursday, May 25 but the number of volunteers for each one is limited to 80. Many of the days are already fully subscribed with only a few places left.

Christchurch City Council Port Hills Ranger Di Carter says the overwhelming response from the public has been “absolutely fantastic”.
People really want to be part of the rejuvenation of the Port Hills, she says, but maintaining that enthusiasm long-term is very important.
“This is just the beginning of the fire recovery process. It’s ongoing and we really need more volunteers to come back and maintain the plants in the spring and autumn, and to support further plantings next winter.

“It’s actually the maintenance that’s the most critical part of the plants’ survival.

The last sentence being the most important.
The same thing we face at Travis.
The “glamour” work is the planting but without people to help clear the weeds from our little green friends their life is much harder.

So how can you help the Port Hills restoration ?

Check the Christchurch City Council website regularly for updates on volunteer days.
Also go to Eventfinda to register for the free buses that will take you to the sites.
There is no parking available at the sites.

For all the when, where and registration go to the Eventfinder site at

https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2017/port-hills-volunteer-restoration-planting/christchurch-district

Also read

https://ccc.govt.nz/parks-and-gardens/getinvolvedinparks/volunteer/port-hills-volunteer-events/port-hills-reserves-volunteer-days/

 

We have a new seat

New seat by the Manuka stand.

New seat by the Manuka stand.

After several years in the planning we have a new seat beside the Manuka stand on the western side of Travis.
It’s made from Macrocarpa that was milled at Bottle Lake 2 years ago after a storm.
Unfortunately we don’t know where the tree origionally came from.

New seat by the Manuka stand.

New seat by the Manuka stand.

It’s been left to season since then.
Thanks go to ranger Kenny and temp rangers Mike and Tom.
It’s one of the nicest views at Travis, looking across to the central willows.

New seat by the Manuka stand.

New seat by the Manuka stand.

The Manuka behind the seat is one of the oldest stands in Canterbury.

Take a flask of your favourite brew and sit a while.
There’s plenty of bird life in the area and in summer the Skinks come out and sunbath on the boardwalk.

Images John Skilton

 
 
 

A few recent images from Travis Wetland

Water boatmen, family Corixidae

Water boatmen, family Corixidae

Daphnia with eggs

Daphnia with eggs

Spider, Cryptaranea species

Spider, Cryptaranea species

Leaf-veined slug, Pseudaneitea aspera

Leaf-veined slug, Pseudaneitea aspera

Fungus

Fungus