Digging in at Donner’s

VOLUNTEER CLEAN-UP: Ten students from three Gisborne schools helped to maintain existing trees and prepare sites for this year’s planting season in the two Donner’s Bush ‘micro-reserves’ on Riverside Road. This work is part of a larger effort to develop and progress a collaborative approach to the restoration of the Waimata river catchment, with the micro reserves serving as valuable outdoor classrooms, says Community engagement supervisor Charles Barrie. All pictures by Liam Clayton

Donner’s Bush Scenic Reserve had a spruce-up thanks to Student Volunteer Week.

Ten students from the Turanganui-a-Kiwa Activity Centre, Gisborne Boys’ High School and Campion College put on their gumboots and mucked in to help with maintenance on the area as part of an initiative from the Gisborne Volunteer Centre last week.

The Department of Conservation came on board to celebrate and recognise the contribution of young people and organised a student working bee at Donner’s Bush Scenic Reserve.

Community engagement supervisor Charles Barrie said students helped to maintain existing trees and prepare sites for this year’s planting season within the two Donner’s Bush “micro-reserves” on Riverside Road.

“This work is part of a larger effort to develop and progress a collaborative approach to the restoration of the Waimata river catchment, with the micro reserves serving as valuable outdoor classrooms.”

Previous work in these reserves has been undertaken by EIT, the YMCA, Gisborne Home school group and a wide range of volunteers.

“The Donners Bush restoration and conservation work is really well suited for volunteer engagement because it is close to the city.”

He said the day went really well.

“Students were super-engaged and got into mulching trees from previous years’ plantings, and there is a big focus there on getting rid of the weed called wandering willy. We had a beautiful gap in the rain to do the work and people went away with smiles on their faces.

Gisborne Volunteer Centre manager Jenny Greaves said Student Volunteer Week celebrates and recognises the contributions of young people taking their future into their own hands.

“Our focus in 2019 is Kaitiakitanga, the guardianship of our environment. Student volunteers are instrumental to this guardianship, and are at the forefront of advocating for environmental protection and carbon neutrality.”

The work at Donner’s Bush — caring for trees and preparing planting sites as part of the greater Waimata restoration project — fitted well into that focus, she said.

Gisborne Volunteer Centre marketing and volunteer service coordinator Janine Hamilton-Kells said for many of the students involved it was the first time they had been to that area.

“As well as working on the reserve we had the opportunity to learn from Charles Barrie about the reserve and the native trees and the importance of the project,” she said.

Anybody interested in volunteering in the conservation projects around the region should keep an eye out on the Tairawhiti Conservation Experiences Facebook page.

Mr Barrie said there was usually one at Donner’s Bush once a month.

¦ This month on April 17 there is a trapping workshop at Waihirere Domain from 10am to 1pm run by Jamie Foxley of the Tairwahiti Environment Centre. On Friday April 26 there is a Titirangi Hikoi looking at the mahi of Whaia Titirangi. The walk on Kaiti Hill will include some basic rongoa (traditional Maori healing) and species identification with a talk about the planting plan.