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Volunteering
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2010 Volunteer Programme
This season we have arranged for Volunteer trips to be held on Saturdays and Sundays of each month.
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.
1. 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.
2. 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. The first Sunday each month will be dedicated to Weed work.
3. Nursery Work
Nursery work is required throughout the year 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.
4. 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.
5. 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. Please contact us on info@motuihe.org.nz if this is an area you would like to be involved in.
Volunteer Trips: Check "Volunteer Day" for the dates of the next Volunteer working day.
Transport & Costs: Follow this link for "Transport" details.
For transport and catering purposes please advise if you are going to Motuihe, by return email
For more information, contact: info@motuihe.org.nz
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