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KAI SCHWOERER/Stuff
Then mayor Lianne Dalziel plants a tree during the Forever Trees Planting Day last July. Those 5000 natives now need maintenance and support.
A “search and rescue” mission has been ordered for the 5000 trees planted by volunteers in Christchurch’s red zone last July.
The search will be for “the natives hidden amongst the tall grasses and weeds that have flourished over summer”.
The rescue will involve clearing the grass and weeds from around each plant and mulching to keep moisture in, according to the Eventfinda page where volunteers have been asked to register.
Last July, hundreds of volunteers planted 5000 natives at Waikākāriki-Horseshoe Lake in Burwood in a project supported by The Press, the Christchurch City Council and Trees That Count.
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Unfortunately, some of the 5000 natives had not survived in the seven months since.
The council anticipated a survival rate of between 70% and 90% “when carrying out ecological restoration of this kind in the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor”, head of parks Andrew Rutledge said. However, the survival rate of the plants on this site was “below the anticipated rate”.
The search and rescue event – called the 5000 Trees Working Bee – takes place for a couple of hours this Sunday.
Conditions this year had been very dry, and the area’s sandy soils had contributed to the lower survival rate, Rutledge said.
KAI SCHWOERER/STUFF
Hundreds of volunteers joined The Press and Christchurch City Council to plant 5000 native trees in a single day in the former residential red zone in Burwood, Christchurch. (First published July 2022)
The council had watered the site by truck, but it had not been enough to save all the trees. Some volunteers had helped with maintenance, including pupils from Middleton Grange School.
The council also planned to install irrigation, which was rare for restoration plantings. New plants would be available to replace those that had perished.
Those plantings would be carried out by council rangers later this year, Rutledge said. They were also looking at an “increased maintenance regime” suitable to the site’s difficult growing conditions.
The planting off De Ville Place and Lake Terrace Drive was designed to put a buffer between Horseshoe Lake and nearby housing.
The buffer was not meant to deter people, and walkers and dogs had created informal walking tracks through the planting site.
The working bee starts at 10am on Sunday and winds up about midday with a barbecue put on by council rangers.
Volunteers should wear long sleeves and pants, sturdy footwear or gumboots, gloves, a hat and sunscreen. They should bring a warm jacket, raincoat, water bottle and snacks.
Tools are supplied.
Off-street car parking is available at 217E New Brighton Rd. The closest bus stops are on routes 7-Queenspark and 60-Southshore.
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