Rangitikei Environment Group - REG

Rewind to August last year, we were busy planing 300 poplar poles in Tiriraukawa, near Taihape.

Of those 300 poplars planted, 299 survived! That’s a 99.7% survival rate – a fantastic result! 🙌

The four hectares of hill slope above Pukemapou Road are prone to slips. All going according to plan, the roots of these trees will bind the soil together to help prevent slips in future. 🌱

We’re delighted to announce that REG has been awarded a Four Regions Trust Grant! 👏✨

This incredible support means we can continue to protect our natural environment for the enjoyment of future generations.

Thank you for believing in our vision and supporting our journey. Together, we can achieve great things! 🌱

It wasn’t just us checking out the Old Man’s Beard... we were being watched by this magnificent ruru (morepork)! ✨

Generally a nocturnal bird, we were fortunate to see this one at Sutherlands Puriri in the Turakina Valley in the middle of the day. 🌞

When it comes to planting natives, sometimes a little extra care can go a long way.

In our latest blog we have some great advice on how to ensure your native seedlings grow and thrive 🌱

Looking after your Native Seedlings - Rangitīkei Environment Group Looking after your Native Seedlings BACK TO BLOG PAGE When it comes to planting natives, sometimes a little extra care can go a long way. From providing artificial shelter to mulching, there are various techniques you can try to improve the growing conditions of your seedlings. Let’s explore some ...

We’re thrilled to announce that REG has been awarded a Lottery Community Fund Grant! 🙏✨

This incredible support means we can continue to protect our natural environment for the enjoyment of future generations. Together, we can achieve great things! 🌱

Check out the great mahi that’s being done in McPherson Bush, Turakina! Tradescantia is so widespread in this area is it beyond chemical control. Luckily, we have tradescantia beetles at our disposal. 🙌

📷 Before: Courtney carefully introducing tradescantia beetles to their new home in February 2023.

📷 After: A year later these mighty beetles are thriving and doing their job! We can see notches around the edges of the leaves, and adult beetles sitting on the plants. Success ✨

At REG, it’s important for all our team members to get frequent education about pest plants and their removal. 🌱

Neil recently attended a day-long seminar and field workshop about Phragmites Karka. This pest plant has the potential to become a huge problem in the Manawatū and Rangitīkei.

If you’ve seen this plant in your community, we want to hear about it. 🤝

REG recently started w**d control of grey willows at Ngaruru Lakes – a significant regional wetland in the Rangitīkei. 🌱

It’s so important to protect our local wetlands. The sad fact is we have lost over 90% of original wetlands in Aotearoa since European settlement.

Wetlands continue to be lost as many people are not aware that they are homes to a huge range of wildlife, and act as regulators of water and nutrients.

A huge thanks to Horizons Regional Council for hosting Community Grants Day! The REG team had a fantastic time gaining inspiration and support from community groups all across the region.

Held at Castlecliff Beach, it was awesome to have the opportunity to rub shoulders with other recipients of Kanorau Koiora Taketake Indigenous Biodiversity Community Grant.

Ngā mihi nui to everyone involved 🙌

Planting native trees and shrubs isn’t just about sticking them in the ground and hoping they’ll do okay.

In our latest blog we have some great tips and tricks on when and how to plant these taonga for future generations. 🌱

Native Planting Tips - Rangitīkei Environment Group Native Planting Tips BACK TO BLOG PAGE Planting native trees and shrubs isn’t just about sticking them in the ground and hoping they’ll do okay. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essential tricks for planting natives; from picking the best time to plant, to getting your hands dirty wit...

Have you seen this plant? We know Phragmites Karka grows along the banks of the Rangitīkei River, but at this point don’t know the true extent of its coverage.

If you know where Phragmites Karka can be found, please get in contact with us. 🤝

Do you live in Taihape township and have Old Man’s Beard (OMB) plaguing your garden? We want to hear from you! 🤝

REG are embarking on an urban garden programme, in which we can help you remove the pest plant OMB from your property.

Get in contact today to register your interest 🙌

Here’s Duane, doing the hard mahi! 🙌

There’s always OMB to clear, like in this patch of bush on Weston Road, Ohingaiti.

What are REG up to this week? It’s a very busy time of year for us 😁

We are working alongside Forest & Bird and Horizons Regional Council to host Conservation Volunteers New Zealand at Sutherlands Puriri in the Turakina Valley.

We have two key tasks: Removing tradescantia, and releasing native planting that is currently swamped in tall grass.

Teamwork makes the dream work! 🙌

We’re saying a heartfelt farwell to Tanika, who has been helping us out over January before starting her nursing qualification.

Tanika has learned a lot in her short time with us, but we’ll let her say that in her own words! 🙌

“One of my favourite parts of this experience was the landscape. My camera roll collected a series of before during and after, close-ups of plants and stunning landscape photos. It also opened my mind up about how big the Rangitīkei district is and how many rural properties struggle with Old Man’s Beard.”

We’ve has been busy controlling Old Man’s Beard (OMB) in Marton 🙌

Resident, Ann, was very excited when we presented her with a trunk of OMB that had been growing out of sight!

Do you live in Bulls township and have Old Man’s Beard (OMB) plaguing your garden? We want to hear from you! 🤝

REG are embarking on an urban garden programme, in which we can help you remove the pest plant OMB from your property.

Get in contact today to register your interest 🙌

Blackberry control at Forest & Bird Pryces Rahui is going really well! 🙌 Check out Duane knapsacking some inside the bush.

Next time you’re in the area, check it out. Meet the local pukeko, grey warbler and pīwakawaka amongst the kahikatea and tōtara trees.

A choir of birds keep this reserve set to the sound of birdsong throughout the day. 🌞

Happy new year! We’re looking forward to what 2024 has in store. Our latest blog will give you a quick overview of REG environmental initiatives for the upcoming year. 🌱

The year ahead: 2024 - Rangitīkei Environment Group The year ahead: 2024 BACK TO BLOG PAGE Happy new year! There’s always a long and varied list of things for the team at Rangitīkei Environment Group to do. Continuing to grow, REG will be visiting at least 49 bush sites in 2024. This is broad overview of what the REG team will be working on this y...

Do you live in Marton township and have Old Man’s Beard (OMB) plaguing your garden? We want to hear from you! 🤝

REG are embarking on an urban garden programme, in which we can help you remove the pest plant OMB from your property.

Get in contact today to register your interest 🙌

Farewell 2023, bring on 2024! Our reach is growing year-on-year. We’ve taken a look at the list, and we will be attending at least 49 bush sites across Rangitīkei in 2024. 🙌

Do you have the Giant Himalayan Lily on your property?

Unfortunately this beautiful plant has a dark side. A recent visit we made to a Rangitīkei bush remnant revealed what it can do. It spreads under semi-shade, excluding anything else that might have grown there.

The understorey of a forest is a crucial place for seedlings to germinate and provide the next generation of forest species. But that can’t happen when this lily lives there! 🚫

Do you have Chilean Rhubarb on your property? This South American giant can produce up to 250,000 seeds in a year – so it’s got to go! 🚫

Together, we can protect the natural environment for future generations. 🌱

Our native Clematis Foetida is in flower 🌸 Don’t confuse it with the foreign invader Old Man’s Beard (Clematis Vitabla). Clematis Foetida has three heart shaped leaflets per leaf, while OMB has five.

📷 Susie from Rangitīkei Environment Group gives this plant close inspection just to make sure, but dog Peanut doesn’t seem too interested at all!

This month, the Otuareiawa OMB Group released specialised mites to control the invasive Old Man’s Beard (OMB) in Taihape’s gorges. These mites (provided by Horizons Regional Council), arrived in potted OMB plants, ready to be planted. 🌱

The REG team helped to chose spots in the gorge where OMB is common and planted them. We made sure to fertilize, water, and protect them with wire netting. The goal is to give these mites the best chance to establish, grow, and spread to tackle our significant OMB problem. 👍

Health & Safety is a subject which most of us steer clear of, but the REG team have embraced it wholeheartedly. A rigorous three-hour audit from Horizons Regional Council revealed a fantastic result – 96% pass!!

Join us in giving the team a pat on the back! 🙌

We are saying a heartfelt goodbye to three committee members who have been with Rangitīkei Environment Group since it was formed in 2001! 🏆

Don Tantrum is a plants man who knows all things botanical. Marian Cleavers has been our administrator royale for many years. Hugh Stewart has a strong presence in the field, and getting stuff done is his forte!

We wish them well as they move into this next phase of life – and have gifted them all a well-deserved kōwhai tree. 🌱

It’s all about teamwork when it comes to keeping our natural spaces beautiful and pest-free. If you want to safely bid farewell to those pesky w**ds on your property, check out our latest blog for some fantastic tips! Together, we can make a difference 🌱

Disposing of W**d Waste - Rangitīkei Environment Group Disposing of W**d Waste BACK TO BLOG PAGE Following on from our Pest Plant Control 101 blog post, we have some specific tips on how to get rid of w**d waste responsibly. It’s not as easy as getting rid of fallen leaves and other plant waste. Many w**ds (like Tradescantia) can grow from small fragm...

We're thrilled to announce that REG has been awarded a Quick Response Grant from the Whanganui Community Foundation! 🙏✨

This incredible support means we can continue to protect our natural environment for the enjoyment of future generations.

Thank you for believing in our vision and supporting our journey. Together, we can achieve great things! 🌱

Mark your calendars! 🙂 Join us on October 10th at 10am for our AGM at the beautiful Taihape Golf Club. Find out what's next for REG and share a cuppa with us ☕️