Friends of A'Deane's Bush celebrate ten years

Jay and John Benton, founders of Friends of A'Deane's Bush, muck in at the 10th anniversary planting day. Photo / Supplied

About 60 people marked the 10th anniversary of the formation of Friends of A'Deane's Bush by attending a planting day and celebratory lunch within the CHB reserve.

On a "cracking" spring day, the crowd planted another 400 trees inside the 40ha reserve, described as one of nature's treasure troves and containing a 34m-high totara tree, one of the largest in the country, and home to long-tailed bats, flocks of kereru and tui.

John and Jay Benton, who initiated the restoration project in 2007, said they were delighted to celebrate the milestone surrounded by many of the people who had helped form Friends of A'Deane's Bush a decade ago.

Megan Pederson, Fi Tyler and Racheal Baker tuck into the celebratory lunch.

"It was a bit lonely 10 years ago, but look at us now!" said John.

Friends of A'Deane's Bush has been a collaboration between local enthusiasts, the Department of Conservation (DOC), Sherwood School and community, BelGroup, CHB Forest and Bird, Young Farmers Club, Hawke's Bay regional council, the Ahuriri Volunteer nursery, Tamatea Taiwhenua and the community.

The group hascontrolled invasive weeds and regenerated the edges of the reserve, and by controlling populations of possums, rats, feral cats, stoats and ferrets.

Project coordinator Kay Griffiths, of The Conservation Company, said the group was lucky to have the support of DOC and iwi to re-introduce tititipounamu (rifleman) to the bush over the last three years.

"These tiny treasures seem to be doing quite well in establishing a population within the bush," she said.

John admitted that when he first started the project he thought it would be short-term, but realised that to achieve ecological restoration in NZ, pest control had to be ongoing.
"That's why it's important to have support of local people in controlling pests in the wider landscape around the bush.

"It's also very important to us that local community are involved and knowing that Sherwood School are so committed is fantastic. We really just want to thank everyone that has helped this project be successful and we look forward to the next 10 years," he said.