Gallery of Project Progress
Enjoy these images, showing some of the challenges we have overcome and the progress so far.
Clearing the weeds in the 2 hectare Valley by digger, March 2019
Collecting moth plant pods from the Valley, March 2019
Burning off the 9 piles of weed debris at dawn, May 2019
Letting the weed seedbed flush - Moth plant in the Valley, May 2019
Valley ready for planting, May 2020
Planting team at work in the valley with 18,000 seedlings, June 2020
Valley plantings looking good, July 2020
Hoping the young plants will beat the grass, Sept 2020
Pest control begins, Sept 2020
We can't believe the growth in the Valley! April 2021
Valley plants up above the kikuyu and away, April 2021
We notice Kanuka tips die back. Cause unknown but they recover well. April 2021
Weed patrol in the Valley, May 2021
Looking across the Valley, July 2021
View over the Valley, Jan 2022
The start of a wet 18 months - we had to get a bigger rain gauge! March 2022
Same view as April 2021, now Nov 2022
There used to be a view from this seat! Sept 2023
Looking across the valley and wetland, Sept 2023
Have to back up to get a view across the Valley now! Sept 2023
First drone shots, Sept 2023
Manuka flowers like snow, Nov 2023
At the head of the Valley, Jan 2024
The dry summer of 2024 challenges some plants in the rocky areas, April 2024
But they are quick to resprout once the rain comes, April 2024
Looking over the Valley, April 2024
Can you spot Craig?! June 2024
The noxious weed collection on the Okura stream edge, Jan 2019
After the digger, removing wild ginger roots by hand from Okura stream edge, Feb 2019
Continuing selective weed clearing by hand along the Okura stream edge, March 2019
First bit of planting beside the Okura stream. The start of the addiction! June 2019
Another section of Okura stream edge planted, guarded and mulched, Aug 2019
Young Taraire going well on Okura stream edge, Nov 2019
Mulch for the Okura stream edge - purchased by the 30m3 truckload!
Mulch appreciated help from sister, Briar, to protect young plantings in the dry, Jan 2020
Monitoring progress with our Planner, Jan 2020
Tackling the weed threat on the other side of the Okura stream April 2020 - Before
And after hand clearing weeds in previous photo, May 2020
Inspection from Toni's mum, Pat - awesome knowledge to share! May 2020
Second year of planting, now down at the rock ford, July 2020
Flooding damages fresh Okura stream plantings FOUR times in the winter of 2020
Flooded damaged planting rescued and going well, Oct 2020
We learn how Bronze beetle can temporarily attack young Manuka, Oct 2020.
Phenomenal growth on the previously flooded stream bank, June 2021
Two year old section of Okura stream planting, June 2021
Starting the section on the top side of the track along the Okura stream, Aug 2021
Another 30 m3 of mulch! Sept 2021
Thickening out the planting on Okura stream edge, Oct 2021
More hand clearing of the weed seed source across the Okura stream, Apr 2022
First area planted now looking very established, May 2022
Further downstream, planting on top side of the track after a year, May 2022
Planting by the rock ford looking good, Nov 2023
Hand pulling a Plectranthus patch March 2024
Biodiversity thriving, Mar 2024
Passing inspection, Jun 2024
Top side of track, Aug 2024
The freshly planted manuka on the road edge Boundary planting, May 2019
Boundary planting, July 2019
The cabbage trees are gobbled by rabbits. 400 Emguards save the day, August 2019
Hunting for the manuka and release spraying from the long grasses, Nov 2019
The road boundary plantings, February 2020
Fencing off for the hilltop for boundary plantings between Lots, May 2021
Working on the hilltop boundary plantings, Aug 2021
Hill top plantings in place, with valley beyond, July 2021
Another old gum tree falls - 8 storeys to the first branches, Feb 2022
Craig's little digger by the logging digger - 10 truck and trailer loads of logs, April 2022
Boundary lines now well established, May 2022
Pukeko strip bark off ribbonwood - the Emguard lesson relearnt, August 2022
Before hand clearing begins by the Waitangi forest boundary, Feb 2023
After shot. February 2023
The day the digger was rescued after sinking while 'weeding' by the pond... April 2023
Digger back in action for removing old fence lines, Apr 2023
Burning gum debris, after firewood donated for Fred Hollows Foundation, June 2023
Pukeko damage - this bunch by the forest are even pulling up the manuka! July 2023
An attempt to scare the pukeko away... July 2023
Irrigation has been a life saver for some young plants in the dry periods, August 2023
Late planting on a new embankment, with irrigation lines and mulch, Nov 2023
Putting in the power cable ducting, November 2023
The road is tarsealed, November 2023
Boundary plantings, Jan 2024
Ready to roll! November 2023
Last big push with hand clearing along the Waitangi forest boundary, March 2024
And a new culvert to complete the walkway, March 2024
Creating light tunnels around the trees within the plantings. Great growth! May 2024
Autumn evening from the top of the hill. Cape Brett in the distance. May 2024
Planted layers gradually transforming the hillside, May 2024
Driveway entrances prepped, May 2024