Planting Natives with Southland Mountain Bike Club
Southland Mountain Bike Club contracted Cam Bissett from D&E contracting to tune up the DH track and they did an amazing job. Cam also cleared an area of gorse along the sides of the track. We went in with the club to start native replanting before the Gorse claims that land back.
The Dh side of the hill is dominated by Gorse. Gorse is an invasive species which if left unchecked will choke out native species for 15 - 60 years ish (depending on growing conditions and seed bank). If your interested in Gorse as a nursery canopy check out the Hinewai project in Christchurch. Some parts of Bluff hill we will have to wait that long but where we can we are going to give the native a helping hand.
Rabbits never were a problem at Bluff but since the pest control program headed up by The Motupohue Trust has been so successful there has been a fair few more poping up. As a result plant protectors for the edible plants is a must!
The base is biodegradable and protectors can be reused. With out them these plants get eaten quick.
Keep an eye on ours and Southland Mountain Bike Clubs Facebook page for for updates and the next planting day.
Huge thank you to Southland Mountain Bike Club for being so conservation focused, Invercargill City Council for providing the plants and protectors and the The Motupohue Environment Trust for their help and support.
JJ
Great to see Cycle fix out there also!
