Albemarle Stream Care Group
7B. Previous Minutes
Date: 28 May 2009
1. Previous Actions 1. Jeremy to investigate Meridian Energy funding for school environmental projects 2. Discussed Restoration Day was attended by 164 people, and was reported to be well organised and a great success (again). 3. Agreed Actions 1. Find out if we can source mulch from WCC – contact Paul Andrews (Barbara) 4. Next Meeting 7:30 pm, Thursday 25th June 2009
Date: 14 August 2007 Attendees: Howard Markland; Jeremy Edwards (Northland); Colleen Restieaux (Cardinal McKeefry); Kate MacKenzie (GWRC); Chris Horne; Barbara Mitcalfe; Paul Ransfield
• Our project was officially kicked-off at dawn on Friday 3 August, with a dawn karakia and waiata, attended by Megan, Wawe, Howard and Leonie. Wawe planted our first tree - a Nikau palm. • First working bee was held on Sunday 5 August, and was very well attended. 45 volunteers planted 210 trees (in 40 minutes), removed almost a tonne of rubbish, including 4 sinks, 1 bike, a stolen backpack, a wallet, body panels from a Honda Civic, an oven and a hot water cylinder. Chris & Barbara's team also made a good start with the weed control, taking-out a fruiting hawthorn. Let us know if you came across anything interesting or peculiar on the working bee. • Howard submitted an application to WCC for grant funding of $11,800 toward track construction (50% of total estimated cost of $23,500). • Chris & Barbara met with Howard to discuss feedback on the draft vegetation survey. • Kate prepared a leaflet promoting the working bee, which was distributed to 200 houses and circulated at Northland and Cardinal McKeefry schools. She also prepared a poster display for Otari-Wilton's Bush open day, and is now working on a project sign and an advisory note for residents bordering the work site. • Kate has investigated the cost of developing a logo best option seems to be for the schools to develop something that can be polished by a designer. Drafts to Kate by 21 September (end of term 3) • Howard spoke with Capacity and the regional council to arrange water sampling to confirm whether sewage pollution is present. • Fence repair at Cardinal McKeefry school pending. • Paul has been populating the web site (http://albemarlestream.wellington.net.nz) several members mentioned that it looked good with interesting content. • No further development on the mission statement for our group, we will do this when things are slightly less busy. • Kate is investigating how we can arrange free weed control via the Greater Wellington Regional Council biodiversity fund.
2. Recent developments • We gained 15 new members via advertising the working bee, sign-ups on the day, and the Otari-Wilton's Bush open day. • The track alignment survey report has been received. However, the recommended route has a steep, slippery section, so we need to discuss this further with WCC. • Richard and Howard will try to repair the chain link fence around the proposed propagation/shade area at Cardinal McKeefry school. • Howard circulated several posters (aerial photos, schematics etc). These will all eventually be on the web site, with originals available to anybody who needs them. • The president of Tinakori Lions Club contacted us at the working bee, they are keen to assist us where they can. • 50% of our year 1 budget from Greater Wellington Regional Council has been committed to the vegetation survey. The remainder will be required to progress the project sign. • Possible funding available for environmental projects from the Lotteries Commission. Howard to submit an application. • There was discussion about how the project can be used as the basis for an environmental education package, particularly for school children. Decisions
• To avoid large meetings that will need a bigger venue, we will continue with a small Steering Group to plan activities and priorities (current members are Kate, Howard, Paul, Jeremy, Colleen, Barbara, Chris & Heather). Please let Howard know if you want to join the Steering Group. • We accepted Chris & Barbara's vegetation survey as is, and will use it as a basis for our weed control and planting programmes. • We will develop an‘interim programme of working bees, to maintain momentum while we develop the weed control and planting programme. • We will write an advisory letter to key organisations such as DoC, MfE and PCE & the Royal Society, outlining the scope and objectives of our project for their information.
Next Meeting - Tuesday 11 September ( 7:30 pm at •Next working bee to be announced shortly. •Unveiling of a plaque to commemorate James Stellin (a kiwi airman in WWII, who died while steering his crashing plane away from the village St Maclou la Briere in France Puketiro Ave O.K. Road 10:30., Sunday 19 August at off . Meet at Stellin Memorial Park Action Items 1. Prepare a weed control & planting plan for years 1 to 5. TBA
Date: 17 July 2007 Attendees: Howard Markland; Richard Morgan; Jeremy Edwards (Northland); Colleen Restieaux (Cardinal McKeefry); Kate MacKenzie (GWRC) Chris Horne; Barbara Mitcalfe; Heather Garside
• Contacted Bethany McLennan at Dominion Post re upcoming opening/bee (Howard)•Aerial photo and topographic plan sourced for vegetation survey (Howard) • Met Capacity on site to discuss sewers & stormwater pipes etc. Report pending (Howard) • Spoke to Kindergarten about site access and their plans to repair culvert damage (Howard) • Met Greater Wellington staff on site to do health & safety review. Report pending (Howard) • Unable to attend Project Kaiwharawhara meeting - not yet scheduled • Still investigating local Iwi interest and Kaumatua for the opening ceremony (Paul) • Links to OWBT, Wellington Botanical Society and Take Care installed on our website (Paul) • Request to WCC for trees pending findings of the vegetation survey (Kate) • Draft promotional leaflet tabled for letter-box drop around Northland/Wilton (Kate) • Draft interpretational sign/poster concept tabled. Still a work in progress (Kate) • Draft vegetation survey report and preferred plant species list tabled (Chris & Barbara). Lots of tree fuchsia, encouraging re-growth and no evidence of possums. German Ivy, Old Man's Beard & Hawthorn all significant. Escapes of non-natives also a problem around some gardens on Pembroke Road. Sewer leaks evident at two locations on true right (from Pembroke road houses). • Information found about the origins of the names Albemarle, Pembroke & Orangi Kaupapa (Chris & Jeremy). Albemarle Road possibly named after a settler's ship, and was previously called Merton Road. • School websites to link to ours - http://albemarlestream.wellington.net.nz •I ntroduced our project at Northland Community Centre group (Jeremy) • Conducted site review to plan working bee logistics (Howard & Richard). Lots of hazards present, and some logistical problems to remove rubbish. We will need to clear rubbish from areas where the track will go in. • Archive search not revealing much, but still ongoing (Megan) • Freshwater ecology survey completed & reported (Summer). Good habitat values, but water quality is degraded due to oil, detergent & sediment etc from road/roof run-off.
• WCC Parks & Gardens is funding the track alignment survey, but is unable to fund track construction or picnic areas. We will need to seek alternate funding/contractors. We will re-submit our original application for the next WCC grant funding round (closes 31 July). We could also access corporate volunteers or periodic detention personnel for labour.
• We would discuss our Mission Statement at a future meeting, and decided that aiming for pre-human settlement conditions was too ambitious for now. Better to focus on 'restoring native forest and establishing a functioning ecosystem'. 3. Upcoming Events 5 August (Sunday) at 7 am - project opening ceremony 11 August (Saturday) from 9am-2pm) - Otari-Wilton's Bush open day. 16 August (Tuesday) @ 7:30 pm, next meeting at Howard's house (43 Pembroke Road)
Attendees: Howard Markland; Paul Ransfield; Richard Morgan; Jeremy Edwards (Northland); Kate MacKenzie (GWRC) Chris Horne; Barbara Mitcalfe Apologies: Colleen Restieaux (Cardinal McKeefry); Wilbur Dovey (OWBT); Phil Parnell (OWBT); Mandy Godfrey (Northland Kindergarten); Dave Taylor
• Colleen still to check access to Periodic Detention labour and Otari School interest in our project. • Dave, Kate, Chris & Barbara attended the GW Restoration Day - a roaring success by all accounts. • Howard will circulate contact details. • Howard met WCC to discuss their proposal to install a track and picnic areas on our behalf. GPS survey done for the stream. Draft action plan tabled (see below). • Megan still working on the archive search.
• Paul has set-up our website, which contains a project overview, meeting minutes and contact details etc - http://albemarlestream.wellington.net.nz • Howard has set-up an email account for enquiries - albemarlestreamcare@hotmail.com • We withdrew the WCC funding application, as WCC Parks Department is planning to install the track and picnic areas on our behalf (probably on the true left bank (i.e. the one nearest Albemarle Road). • Meeting arranged with Capacity to review the stormwater/sewer pipes along the stream, and problems with erosion and sediment accumulation. • We will be able to access 400 free trees from WCC for our first planting day (via WCC). • We've received a proposal from Chris Horne and Barbara Mitcalfe to do a vegetation/weed survey of our site. They have noted developing ground cover as a result of GWRC possum control. • Otari-Wilton's Bush Trust has invited us to have a promotional display at their upcoming open-day. Phil Parnell at the Trust has confirmed their wish for continued collaboration between our groups. • Howard has sourced aerial photos and 1 metre contours for the site.
3. Admin & Finance • First funding ($3,000 from GWRC) comes available as of 1 July. This is available on a 'use it or lose it' basis. • Kate proposed that we spend some of our early money on a sign for the entrance (approx $1,500). She recommended we go for the free trees now, then buy additional trees with any money we have left at the end of year 1, in time for the 2008 planting season (June). Schools are keen to be involved in propagation, and Cardinal McKeefry School has volunteered space next to our site (the disused swimming pool area). • It was agreed to commission Chris & Barbara to do our vegetation survey (covering all the WCC reserve land along the stream, but also noting significant threats from adjacent private properties). • Draft activity plan tabled and generally agreed.
4. Up-Coming Events 15 June - site meeting with Capacity to discuss sewer & stormwater pipes etc. 24 June (Sun) - scope site hazards and working bee logistics 1 July - GWRC funding becomes available 17 July (Tuesday) @ 7:30 pm, next meeting at Howard's house ( 43 Pembroke Road) 5 August (Saturday) at 7 am - project opening ceremony 5 August (Saturday) from 1-4 pm - first working bee 11 August (Saturday) from 9am - 2pm) - Otari-Wilton's Bush open day. Project Kaiwharawhara working group meeting coming up - date not confirmed yet. Otari-Wilton's Bush Trust will host us for seed collection in February/March 2008.
5. Membership & Project Promotion • We currently have 23 members, plus pupils/parents from the two schools, Kindergarten & Childspace. • Howard discussed whether we needed to register with Volunteer Wellington ($35/year). Decided that we do not need additional corporate volunteer input just yet, but maybe in the future. Kate also mentioned that she co-ordinates GWRC corporate volunteer groups. • We will need to prepare a leaflet to promote our project & opening working bee (local letterbox-drop). • Chris recommended we inform Dom Post & Capital Times about our opening and first working bee.
• We need to confirm the legal status of site, to ensure that all our work is not lost in future development. It is currently WCC reserve land. Best outcome would be for it to be a gazetted reserve, and designated a Key Natural Ecosystem. • It was agreed that the trees we plant during our project must be eco-sourced and appropriate for the area (Chris & Barbara will create a planting plan of appropriate species). This is consistent with what happens at Karori Sanctuary and Otari-Wilton's Bush. • We discussed the possibility of getting local politician to attend the opening ceremony, & decided it was a good idea (though the jury is still out on which one). To be discussed further at the next meeting.
1. Contact Dom Post (Bethany Mclennan) & Capital Times Howard
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