May Mangroves 2018

Friends of the Farm co-ordinated two successful mangrove working bees last month, clearing new seedlings from bird roosts along the Kiwi Esplanade and Ambury Farm shorelines. 

At our first event along Kiwi Esplanade, 40 people pitched in to help, clocking up a whopping 90 hours of volunteer time between them, and collecting 77 bags of mangroves!  Kiwi Esplanade neighbours joined the effort along the foreshore, alongside young people from the community working towards their Duke of Edinburgh badges. 

Small groups spread out along the Esplanade, filling bags with seedlings.  Local Māngere Bridge residents Chris and Suzie Lockett and their son Brook took on the job of going up and down the Esplanade, collecting bags and transporting them back to Ambury Farm.  Charmaine Strang enjoyed her time on the welcome desk, registering people for the event and giving a safety briefing.    

At our second working bee, around the western rim of Ambury Farm foreshore, eight volunteers contributed 18 hours to clear seedlings.  The Ambury Farm location was quiet and serene, and the small group of volunteers loved the chance to spend time in such a beautiful spot.  “I had a cracker of a time!”, said Janine Nillesen (Friends of the Farm volunteer and Ambury Farm Ranger).

The events were well organised, thanks to old hand Janine and other Friends of the Farm members.  Special thanks to the Māngere Boating Club, who kindly made their facilities available for volunteers to use during the Esplanade working bee.  Also thanks to Auckland Council for arranging for contractors to collect the bags of seedlings. Keep an eye on the Friends of the Farm Facebook page and the MāngereBridge Community Calendar for details of another pop-up mangrove working bee in September to finish the job.