Major Weed Removal Planned for Lake Ohinewai

Waikato RiverCare Inc.’s new WCEET funded project, Lake Ohinewai, is well into the pre-planting weed control stage with two very effective agrichemical applications having been completed over the last 6 months. This month Waikato RiverCare Inc. will engage Stiles Contracting Ltd’s expertise and machinery to clear the dead weeds on this 2.3ha project. Using this sort of machinery to clear weeds is a first for Waikato RiverCare Inc. The 100 HP Rubber Tracked Skid Steer machine has a 1.7m front mounted mulcher which will cut and mulch the unwanted vegetation from the project site. This will ensure that targeted and accurate vegetation control with little risk to non-target vegetation will be achieved.

Pictures of the Stiles Contracting machine in action. Credit: Nigel Stiles

Once the machine has been through and cleared the dead weeds, regular agrichemical applications will be completed to ensure the project site will be in the best condition for planting during our 2017 planting season. This year, Te Whangai Trust have once again won the contract to provide plants for all of Waikato RiverCare Inc.’s planting projects in August/September this year. Te Whangai Trust have been contracted to supply 39,189 native trees and grasses, including 11,730 to be planted at the Lake Ohinewai project. The site will continue to receive regular agrichemical applications for three years after planting to ensure the new plants thrive and weeds do not take over the project site once again.

This photo shows the pest plants to be removed surrounding the Kahikatea.

A new project sign was constructed at Lake Ohinewai in December 2016. The location on Tahuna Road allows both lanes of traffic to view the sign and lake in back ground and it has already generated a lot of interest in the project.

The new project sign has already garnered a lot of attention.

Two other WCEET funded projects are also progressing well after planting of the sites took place in August/October 2016. Taupiri Ki Waenganui had 12,523 native trees and grasses planted on the second phase of the project, while Mangawara Catchment Project 1 had 6,454 plants planted on site. Both sites are now in the post-planting weed control phase and will continue to get regular checks over the next few years.

A big thanks goes out to WCEET who have been great supporters of Waikato RiverCare Inc.’s work for a number of years.