As we kicked off Conservation Week, we were fortunate to have a break in the recent wet weather meaning our potting day at the local Forest & Bird nursery could go ahead. Walking in, we were greeted by a symphony of tūī song, a pīwakawaka, and two super friendly, and rather large, pigs!
David was a fantastic host, and showed us around the nursery. We saw trees ranging from the tiniest of swamp maire seedlings, which were nearly ready to be “pricked out”, and put into little pots, right through to a kahikatea as tall as Helen (our KCO).
There was also a really unusual kahikatea with a trunk that had a tight spiral at the top like a fern frond!
David told us about “eco-sourcing”. This is when a seed is gathered from an area, and then, once it has grown into a healthy seedling, it is returned to the area and planted. This is one of the best ways we can try to replicate the forests of the past in an area.
David then showed us some seeds he had gathered ready for planting. The mānuka were so tiny and the harakeke were in a pod just like peas! The karaka were the largest of all. Next, David showed us some tricks for getting the kōwhai seeds to germinate. They are quite tricky because the “testa” has to be cut and softened.
We were also very lucky as Farmlands Levin donated KCC some perfect sized gardening gloves for little hands – an essential safety item (along with a mask) when handling potting mix.
On behalf of KCC I would like to say a huge thank you to David (and Forest & Bird) for giving his time and sharing his knowledge and passion with us. It is exciting to know that each and every one of us can make a difference and create a legacy to be proud of!
