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Tasks
Motuihe Project needs your help to grow native trees and clear invasive weeds, remove fences, create walking tracks and more. Nursery work is required throughout the season. Come on your own or bring family or friends. No experience is necessary to have a rewarding trip to one of the lovely Hauraki Gulf islands.
Tree Planting
Commences in April or May, depending on climatic conditions and ground moisture. By planting as many seedlings early in the season as is possible allows these plants to establish their root system before the summer heat. Volunteers plant a variety of native species that have been propagated in the Project nursery in specific planting areas that have been designated for the current year’s planting programme. Infill planting will be undertaken later in the planting programme. Long term fertilizer tabs are inserted into the ground at the time of planting to ensure the plant is given as good a start as possible.
Weed Control
Weed control is critical to the success of the restoration project. There is a primary focus on controlling highly evasive non native plants and clearing areas which will be planted with native trees next year.
Identification of weeds and removal methods will be shown. Some weeds are hand pulled, others require more robust methods with tools/spades and herbicide application for the larger weeds/trees. Mothplant (Araujia sericifera) and Evergreen Buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus) are among the most invasive types of weeds encountered on Motuihe. Mothplant can generally be removed by hand or hand tools. Rhamnus requires hand pulling through to weed spraying (ring barking).
Keen volunteers are required to join our WEED TEAM. This is a specialist group to eradicate and control the evasive weeds on the island. The WEED TEAM volunteers will need to be fit and hardy and will be trained to use the necessary equipment. Your assistance with this rewarding activity would be appreciated. Please contact us for more information.
Nursery Work
Nursery work is required throughout the summer season and is suitable for people not wishing to control weeds or create tracks or remove farm fences.
Nursery work can range from shifting plants from the sheltered to the hardening off areas, filling up root trainers with soil, pricking out the seedlings into the root trainers which are designed to train the roots to grow straight down, weeding all plants in the nursery, sorting seeds or merely tidying up areas within the nursery. This is a great way to get familiar with what seeds, seedlings and mature native plants look like.
Monitoring
A network of monitoring stations exist across the island to define the existing habitat and identify the changes over time. Bird counts, insect populations and plant occurrence are recorded in an activity that facilitates understanding the island’s ecosystem and change. This baseline information will be invaluable when the Trust applies for future bird and skinks/gecko translocations. Volunteers are required to assist with surveys of birds, insects and plants.
We are looking for people to undertake monitoring and surveys on fauna and flora. Please contact us on info@motuihe.org.nz if you are keen to assist in this area.
Guiding
From October through to end April, when Visitors arrive on Motuihe Island, an option of taking a Guided Tour of the Heritage or Restoration areas is provided. The Heritage tour takes approx 1.5hours and 2hours should be allowed for the Restoration tour. Training, notes, transport and uniform will be provided to guides to ensure that visitors enjoy their experience.
Seed Collecting
Seed collection is an all-year round task that new volunteers are able to undertake. This gives a great opportunity for volunteers to familiarize themselves with NZ native plants and is very relaxing. All native seeds are eco-sourced from existing bush on Motuihe and grown in the island nursery.
Fundraising
Motuihe Trust is a charitable organisation and relies on donations or grants from private individuals, companies or Charitable Trusts. This funding is used to purchase essential items such as potting mix for growing native trees in the nursery and fuel for the tractor. Follow the link to Donations if you wish to contribute towards the Restoration Project.
General Maintenance
There are always plenty of small general maintenance tasks that volunteers can undertake on Motuihe to assist the Project, such as sharpening & lubricating tools and equipment. Handyperson skills are invaluable on an island where normal tradespeople are not always on hand. Please contact us on info@motuihe.org.nz if you can spare the Project time and energy.
Track Construction
In the Restoration Plan signed in 2005, numerous themed tracks were planned for. A number of these tracks will require bridges to be constructed in the future to give safe access across creeks and gulleys. As funds allow, volunteers will be required to assist in the construction of these bridges and tracks.
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