Diane Anderson (left) and Becky Dodunski holding the trees that will be planted in Soldiers Park.
Diane Anderson (left) and Becky Dodunski holding the trees that will be planted in Soldiers Park.
A local group in Eltham are planning to restore Soldiers Park.
The Restore Eltham group will be clearing out seedling gums, gorse and broom and replanting the park with natives. The Eltham Lions are helping to deliver native trees to Soldiers Park.
The group has already put in 150 hoursof volunteer work to prepare the land for replanting. Over the summer, volunteers planted 200 donated flaxes to the wetland area.
The South Taranaki District Council has given the Restore group 250 trees towards the project.
A grant from Restore Taranaki has enabled the purchase of a further 1200 trees. Spot spraying has been done and the area is now ready to be planted.
Becky Dodunski from Restore Eltham and Noel Boddie from Eltham Lions inspecting the area where trees will be planted.
Trapping and monitoring of pests is planned and surveys of returning wildlife will be undertaken.
Future planting will involve Eltham school children. It is hoped the area will become an outdoor classroom in the future.
The land that is now Soldiers Park was acquired by the Eltham Borough Council in 1919. The gully was planted in eucalypts in the 1920s, the stream diverted and a playing field created. Later Eltham Swimming Baths were built on the edge of the field.
In 1984 beginnings were made on creating a walkway, and later in 1999 the Keep Eltham Beautiful group, working with community volunteers, continued planting trees.
In 2015, it was decided the original trees were getting too large and dangerous, and over the next year the area was cleared. The area was then given time to settle, before the current redevelopment and planting.
■ The community tree plant is on August 3 at 10am. Participants are asked to bring a spade & gloves. Families are welcome, children should be accompanied by an adult.
