Waitākere Ranges Local Board has launched offensives on several fronts to protect the beautiful Waitākere Ranges rain forest and coastal areas from the threats of damaging weed species.
“The Waitākere Ranges contains 40 per cent of all native vegetation in the Auckland region,” says Waitākere Ranges Local Board member Saffron Toms. “But our area is under threat from weeds that out-compete native plants and destroy habitats for native fauna. The local board is tackling weeds by working in partnership with its communities.”
Weed management initiatives include:
- developing a strategic weed management plan for the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area that identifies priority sites and weeds, plus actions to tackle the problems
- delivering posters, showing the worst weed species and their control methods, to 7000 households in the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area. This was a joint project with the Waitākere branch of the Forest & Bird Society
- placing six permanent weed bins in strategic locations
- sponsoring a joint weed-management project with EcoMatters Environment Trust, which works with private landowners in Piha and Huia to deal with what is considered to be the biggest weed threat, climbing asparagus
- funding a ‘buffer’ weed management programme with landowners of properties next to the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park.
