Dune Planting at Okia

On the morning of 6th June, three Trustees were joined by seventeen volunteers to plant out another area of the fore-dunes at Okia. It was easy planting, partly because the ground had been prepared by staff, but also because we were digging into sand, and as well many of the plants were flax (Phormium tenax) and poroporo (Solanum aviculare) which required only a spade cleft rather than a square hole.

About 500 plants were swiftly put into the ground in time to return at lunchtime avoiding the rain. Plants were
placed together tightly to avoid sand blow and allow for some plant loss in the difficult sand environment.

Lala Frazer

Community Conservation Day

Sunday 6 June at Okia Reserve (Victory Beach), Otago Peninsula

Meet at Dick Road carpark at 10:30am, or meet at Bayfield inlet carpark 10:00am to  carpool (please advise if this is your intention)

Bring spade, lunch and drink, warm clothing, wet weather gear

A great day at Otapahi Reserve

We wanted to show you a few photos of a great planting day held at one of the Trust’s Reserves on the Otago Peninsula on the 26th August. We had a variety of people helping us that day…6 members of the Wednesday Nursery volunteers, 3 visiting Americans from the University of Otago Botany Department, 3 employees from Mercure Hotel Dunedin, 1 research student from the Zoology department, and 3 staff members. Read the rest of this entry »

Community Workday: 9 August

Thanks to all those that came to help – couldn’t have been a more beautiful day for it! Here are a few photos of the day!

• Where: Tavora Reserve, East Otago. Meet at the old Wilson’s Distillery carpark, North Dunedin.
• Directions: From Dunedin: Drive north through Waikouaiti on SH1 and on 7km to Goodwood Corner. Turn right onto Goodwood Road, and after 5km turn right into Bobby’s Head Road. The car park is directly ahead.

  From Palmerston: Take Goodwood Road for approx 7km and turn left into Bobby’s Head Road.

• When: Sunday 9th August 2009. Meet at Wilson’s Distillery carpark 9:15am to car pool, or 10am at Tavora Reserve carpark

Bring spades, warm clothes, food and drink. for those interested.

Weather permitting, there will be time to complete the coastal walk of the reserve.

World Environment Day 2009

Over 50 members of the public including students and staff from local corporate organisations, supporters and volunteers of the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust celebrated World Environment Day and Arbor Day by planting 1300 native trees and shrubs. The planting took place at Okia, a 230 hectare reserve jointly owned by the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust and the Dunedin City Council.

The tree planting is a contribution to returning the native bio-diversity to this special part of Dunedin City, home to 20 pairs of yellow-eyed penguins breeding in the reserve. Read the rest of this entry »