Catchpool Restoration Project - 2009 - 2011
When the pine forests planted on the hills surrounding the lower Catchpool Valley were clear-felled recently, many local residents felt that the resulting denuded hills and gullies were an eyesore. Actually, more damage was done by the "weather-bomb" and floods that devastated the area in March, 2005.
This project aims to give Nature a helping hand to speed up the reforestation of the hillsides with native plants and trees in order to quickly restore the original biodiversity of the area and to provide a healthy habitat for indigenous species of birds, lizards, amphibians, fish and invertebrates.
Our strategy will be to plant large numbers of up to 15 different & desired eco-sourced plant species in the gullies and other sheltered areas to give them a head-start over natural regeneration processes.
Project Documentation and Updates
Follow this link for more detailed information about this project and its current status.
Community Conservation Fund
Press Release: June 17th, 2009
The Trust was successful in obtaining funding for this restoration work in the park over the next two years. A total of $40,000 ($20,000 a year) is available to purchase plants to restore some areas in the Catchpool Valley where the pines have been removed.
The small pockets of existing native bush will be given a helping hand with additional planting to create a more diverse range of flora, thus creating a seed bank for further natural dispersal.
This also gives us the opportunity to perhaps re-introduce plant species into the park which have become extinct in that area.
Additionally, it will provide a great opportunity for community and corporate groups to take ownership of a ‘plot’ and to maintain them on a regular basis.
If you are interested in becoming involved in this project, please contact our webmaster and Catchpool Restoration Project coordinator, Peter Cooper. Many thanks!
On a beautiful Spring day in the Park, the ANZ National Bank group are shown here after their terrific planting and restoration efforts with Ian (RFPT) and David (DoC). Click for a larger image. Photo Credit: Peter Cooper.
