Bell Island Planting Day

On Sunday 28 July a community-based planting day on Bell Island saw 60 volunteers plant in excess of 1,550 native plants. This was a collaborative effort between Battle for the Banded Rail, Nelmac, NRSBU and 60 volunteers from the community, including staff and Best Island residents. Battle for the Banded Rail funded the plants, organized the volunteers and managed the event.

Nelmac grew the plants, planned, and prepared the planting sites and will maintain the plants to establishment.

NRSBU made the area available and funded the preparation and aftercare.

Two sites were chosen for the planting. The first site is a small coastal inlet that has been modified by the access road and grazed to the point it provides neither habitat value nor grazing value. We have re-fenced the area to exclude stock and planted a variety of estuarine margin plants to restore a coastal wetland.

The second site is adjacent to the largest remaining stands of manuka forest that was native to the Waimea estuary margin. We chose this site partly to begin restoring and enhancing the manuka that is suffering from salt-water intrusion, and partly to enhance the coastal back channels that provide valuable habitat for estuarine birdlife.

Battle for the Banded Rail is a Tasman Environmental Trust project which began in 2015.  It came about when the Waimea Inlet Forum wanted to take some action to improve the health of the estuary.  They applied for the initial funding and the project has grown into nearly 10 years of action, working with the community, landowners, schools, councils & DOC.

 Achievements to date:

TRAPPING

• 11,900 predators trapped

• 1,200 traps on the estuary margin from Mapua to the Honest Lawyer

• Traps checked by 55 volunteers at least monthly

 Habitat restoration:

• 90,000 plants planted by volunteers through community planting days and school groups

• Estimate 900-1000 individuals have been involved

• Quarterly newsletter produced and distributed to 450 volunteers and interested people

• Biennial survey for evidence of banded rail