Seed of an idea germinates into native nursery

Devonport’s new community native plant nursery is set to open in May.

Environmental group Restore Takarunga Hauraki (RTH) has been working on the Ngataringa Community Nursery project next to Allen Hill stadium since last November, when its 10-year lease of the site was approved by council.

The nursery, developed over three levels, will produce plants for RTH’s coastal restoration projects around the peninsula.

Coordinator of the nursery initiativeCharles Palmer put many volunteer hours into the nursery’s second level, where native plant seeds will be germinated.

Palmer built a shade roof and tables, and installed mesh netting and an irrigation system.

The seeds of natives, such as tawapou, which has become near extinct in Auckland’s coastal areas, are being germinated.

Palmer said the nursery had the capacity to grow more than 47,000 plants a year.

“I’m not sure we’ll do that every year, but certainly thousands,” he said.

The nursery’s third level is the next focus. It will be used to store and grow plants that have grown big enough to be potted.

Once the outdoor area has been fitted with shade covers and an irrigation system, the potted plants will mature there for around a year, after which they are big enough to be planted out.

Green team... (from left) project coordinators Charles Palmer and Andrea Forster with Restoring Takarunga Hauraki community coordinator Lance Cablk and co-chair Anne McMillan in the newly finished germination area of the group’s native-plant nursery laboration. They look out for pots and barrels, things like that that we need and would usually have to pay for,” Cablk said.

Many groups, services and organisations across Tāmaki

RTH community coordinator Lance Cablk said “a lot of people have put a lot of work into this, but there’s still more to do”.

Cablk said the volunteer manager of the nursery project, water engineer Chris Lucas, was “key in every step” to getting council approval as he drafted the nursery plans.

“There are so many people contributing and so many people excited that this could be our centre in the future. And not just ours – with the football club and recycling centre here, there’s a real community feeling growing” facing significant budget cuts, including local organisations and groups that contribute greatly to the Devonport Peninsula.

Many groups, services and organisations across Tāmaki Makaurau are facing significant budget cuts, including local organisations and groups that contribute greatly to the Devonport Peninsula.

He said the long-term plan is to make the nursery a permanent home for RTH.

Environmental group seeks trust status

We acknowledge that Auckland Council needs to make its budget work but we believe this is a time to invest in vital community, arts, environmental and cultural organisations and initiatives, not cut them.

Restoring Takapuna Hauraki (RTH) is setting itself up as a separate entity after coming under the administrative arm of the Devonport Peninsula Trust since its founding in 2017.

We acknowledge that Auckland Council needs to make its budget work but we believe this is a time to invest in vital community, arts, environmental and cultural organisations and initiatives, not cut them.

RTH has partnered with the Devonport Recycling Centre to help with the construction of the nursery.

“It’s great to have their support and sponsorship, but I think the key thing is the col- for the local economy and liveability of our area and will severally affect all council funded organisations. your opportunity to make yourself heard and share your opinion, thoughts and views on the proposed changes.

The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board has been asked to cut $800,000 from its budget of $1.3 million, this is devastating for the local economy and liveability of our area and will severally affect all council funded organisations.

The growing peninsula environmental group reckons it is time to be a standalone organisation.

It is going through the process of registering its own charitable status, which will enable it to better deal directly with other groups in applying for grants.

The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board has been asked to cut $800,000 from its budget of $1.3 million, this is devastating for the local economy and liveability of our area and will severally affect all council funded organisations.

These groups and organisations add significant value to local areas and contribute to local economies and the health and well-being of the people who live here.

These groups and organisations add significant value to local areas and contribute to local economies and the health and well-being of the people who live here.

Many groups, services and organisations across Ta – maki Makaurau are facing significant budgetcuts, including local organisations and groups that contribute greatly to the Devonport Peninsula.

The Annual Budget Survey 2023/24 is your opportunity to make yourself heard and share your opinion, thoughts and views on the proposed changes.

We acknowledge that Auckland Council needs to make its budget work but we believe this is a time to invest in vital community, arts, environmental and cultural organisations and initiatives, not cut them.

The Annual Budget Survey 2023/24 is your opportunity to make yourself heard and share your opinion, thoughts and views on the proposed changes.

Many groups, services and organisations across Tāmaki Makaurau are facing significant budget cuts, including local organisations and groups that contribute greatly to the Devonport Peninsula.

Help us protect investment in arts, culture and the community by visiting stopthecuts.co.nz or by going directly to Auckland Council and filling out the form below. Feedback closes 28 March!

The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board has been asked to cut $800,000 from its budget of $1.3 million, this is devastating akhaveyoursay.nz/budget

Help us protect investment in arts, culture and the community by visiting stopthecuts.co.nz or by going directly to Auckland Council and filling out the form below. Feedback closes 28 March!

These groups and organisations add significant value to local areas and contribute to local economies and the health and well-being of the people who live here.

We acknowledge that Auckland Council needs to make its budget work but we believe this is a time to invest in vital community, arts, environmental and cultural organisations and initiatives, not cut them.

Help us protect investment in arts, culture and the community by visiting stopthecuts. co.nz or by going directly to Auckland Council and filling out the form below. Feedback closes 28 March!

The Annual Budget Survey 2023/24 is akhaveyoursay.nz/budget

The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board has been asked to cut $800,000 from its budget of $1.3 million, this is devastating for the local economy and liveability of our area and will severally affect all council funded organisations.

These groups and organisations add significant value to local areas and contribute to local economies and the health and well-being of the people who live here.