From the beginning of August, we will be extending the time you borrow library books from two weeks to four weeks, the same as other libraries, so you won't have to hurry to finish your books any more.
We have received some great new books for you to read these cold winter evenings. Here are a few of them:-
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We look forward to seeing you all soon.
– Barbara Field
Timber milling started in the Waitakeres on the Manukau Harbour edge, but it was only a matter of time before investment and tech-nology enabled access to previously unreachable stands of kauri in the Waitakere Ranges. In the 1890s, the timber millers had their eye on an area of kauri on blocks of land owned by John Hueston and William Wasley and his son, Oliver, at Nihotupu, just west of Waiatarua. Wasley’s Bush, as it was known, was considered to be one of the most outstanding areas of kauri forest in New Zealand, and it contained a particular tree, the Glasgow Tree, that because of its spectacular size had been put aside and named after the then Governor of New Zealand, Lord Glasgow.
The millers were Francis “Frank” Mander and Samuel Bradley, prin-cipals of the company Mander & Bradley. Mander was Onehunga-born and started his working life at 10 years of age. He was also the father of novelist Jane Mander and later an MP and newspaper pro-prietor. Mander’s partner, Samuel Bradley, was also Onehunga-born and a successful businessman.
Well, winter is well and truly here – along with dark nights and po-tentially dangerous road conditions. So just another timely remind-er to please take extra care, be patient and keep those speeds down when driving.
Our team are still out on patrol several times a week – helping to keep our community safe.
In June we held our Fire Brigade Honours celebration. Our Chief Fire Officer Kevin Healy received his 25 Year Gold Star and Deputy Chief Ian Ford received two gold bars to his Gold Star in recognition of 35 and 37 years of service to the Waiatarua Brigade. Station Officer Steve Smith received two silver bars for 19 and 21 years service.
Kevin has been part of the Waiatarua Community since the 1990s. During this time he has been a part of the Drama Group, Residents & Ratepayers and as an elected member of the Waitakere Community Board. His involvement with the Fire Brigade started in 1995 when the Brigade was looking to put on a play, written by Tony Holt, to fundraise for the new Fire Station (still to be built at that point).
This is the last year of the Great Kererū Count. After this, there will be eight years of data which will provide a scientifically robust understanding of trends, and on how best to help kererū.
Tony Stoddard of Kererū Discovery, who coordinates the Count, says that community participation over the last seven years has been a privilege to be part of.
Stoddard, who is a passionate advocate for kererū, encourages everyone to take part in the final count down. “Over the last seven years there has been a total of 52,034 observations, and 119,910 kererū counted. For this final count, it’s important that as many people as possible join in. It’s super easy, good for you, and good for kererū.”
Kererū only live in Aotearoa New Zealand, are protected birds, and tāonga to many. Once there were large flocks of kererū, and now they are mostly seen singly or in small numbers perching on trees or overhead wires. Kererū are critical in keeping native forests growing because they are the only way that seeds of large native trees like tawa, taraire, hinau and miro are dispersed.
Dr Stephen Hartley, Director of the Centre for Biodiversity & Restoration Ecology at Victoria University of Wellington, says that last year there was a 50% increase in sightings from 2019.
“Despite this, there is a worrying recent report from the NZ Bird Atlas that numbers may be declining in the South Island. The Great Kererū Count is about New Zealand working together as community scientists to gain a better understanding of kererū so we can help them thrive. Whether you see any kererū or not, sharing observations is helping us get a great picture of where kererū live, their abundance, and most importantly how best to protect them.
From the data we already have, we know that some of the best ways people can help kererū in their community is by planting trees like kowhai which is the most common tree people have seen kererū feeding on.”
Dr Hartley also expects to see the importance of pest control for boosting kererū numbers. Kererū lay a single egg which is very vulnerable to being eaten by rats, possums and stoats.
Although this is the last year of the Great Kererū Count, Kererū Discovery will continue so that people can keep sharing their stories and encounters and continue to build a shared understanding of kererū. Analysis of the eight years of data will be completed by Sam Rammell a post-graduate student at Victoria University of Wellington.
The Great Kererū Count is a collaborative project led by Urban Wildlife Trust & Kererū Discovery together with partners Wellington City Council, Dunedin City Council/City Sanctuary, Nelson City Council and Victoria University of Wellington.
If you're looking for a hardy ground cover, Coprosma Repens has fast become a favourite at my house. Unfortunately not locally sourced, I did get a lot from Rogers for $2 and utilised it on banks and other shady spots where we have failed to establish other plants. In fact we have planted it in the places tradescantia used to be. It's glossy and bright green so looks beautiful and keeps invasive weeds at bay - win all round!
– Rita Steel
