Southland Ecological Restoration Network

Southland Ecological Restoration Network

A Network of Southland Community Conservation Projects

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Project

February • Kew Bush

Kew Bush, Invercargill

Location:
Kew Hospital grounds, Invercargill (meet at picnic bench)
Region:
Invercargill
District:
ICC
Commenced:
1999
Access:
Open
Area (ha):
3
Contact:
Friends of Kew Bush
Email:
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Website:
Visit website

Description

This group usually organises a monthly weekend working bee - check on fb page. New members always welcome. Contact Cam: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content] Restoration of kahikatea podocarp forest remnant. Threatened by weed invasion. Ongoing weed and animal pest control and planting of native plants. Picnic area and walking track. Find out some more about the history and vision for this group from these two interviews: with Jesse Bythell (QEII) https://player.accessmedia.nz/Player.aspx?eid=c1a6a3df-7319-4380-b50e-3bd9db42a2c8 with Allan MacPherson and John Tait (founders) https://radiosouthland.org.nz/Programmes/Details.aspx?PID=7513e1cc-5ddd-4790-acd8-18727782fd69

Historic involvement

YMCA Cons Corp, YMCA Youth Services, South Invercargill Lions, Southland Community Nursery

Current involvement

Friends of Kew Bush, SIT students of the ecology courses, SDHB, QEII National Trust

Allan and John with plants propagated by them at the Southland Community Nursery, Otatara, for a Lions Club planting working bee at Kew Bush.
Lions Club Holly control working bee. Hollies sucker or root when branches hit the ground, forming thickets that exclude natives.
Holly site, eight months post clearance.
Restoration plantings by picnic area, 2005.
Restoration plantings by picnic area, 2008.
Planting Carex secta and toe toes into wet areas has been very successful.
John Tait and Brian Rance stand next to a large holly recently killed.
A QEII Field Day in 2006.
Autumn SERN Trip, May 2021
Ini Gunn, past Friends of Kew Bush Co-ordinator; Jesse Bythell, QEII Rep; Allan McPherson and John Tait, Kew Bush restoration drivers for many years. 2021
John (left) and Allan with new sign. May 2021
SERN Trip 2021. Allan describing the plantings put in to shelter the west side of the bush remnant from prevailing winds.
2022 August. Working bee to attack weeds in this area.
2022 August. Holly has been a major problem in Kew Bush. This remnant plot has now been cut and pasted.
2022 August. A large barberry bush (right) was also controlled.
2022 August. Wool pack lids used as ground cover around early plantings remain solid after more than 15 years. These need to be removed or can damage the tree at the base.
2022 August. The first restoration work at Kew Bush involved the planting of kahikatea on the south side. These were protected by tyres at the time, more than 30 years ago. They were finally removed at this working bee! See tall kahikatea behind.
2022.09_ A DOC 200 catches another rat.
2023.01_ The attack on ivy is ongoing, but great gains have been made with physical removal and chemical control.
2023.01_Montbretia is also being removed - an old fashioned garden plant in the wrong place, here in the foreground. Easily recognised by it's bright orange flower heads.
2023.05_Allan McPherson (right), involved in the restoration of Kew Bush for over 20 years, helps with the latest top up of gravel on the track.
2023 December Sycamore control on a number of large sycamore has been undertaken by contractors, through funding gained from Environment Southland Environment Enhancement Fund. Drill and fill was the technique used.
2024 January Plantings being undertaken by the Friends of Kew Bush group in an area cleared of ivy and blackberry.
2025 January SIT student, Cam, takes the lead with the Friends of Kew Bush, organising a weed clearance day.
2025 January Blackberry was cut a pasted.
2025 January Before clearance - volunteers amongst the weeds.
2025 January The keen workers standing in the cleared area, ready for planting.
Project Directory

Other projects in Invercargill

  • Anderson Park, Invercargill
  • Big Lagoon
  • Bluff Hill / Motopohue Environmental Restoration Project
  • Bowmans Bush, Otatara
  • Bushy Point Gambles, Otatara
  • Bushy Point OLG Restoration Project, Otatara
  • Bushy Point, Rances, Otatara
  • Invercargill Estuary Walkway
  • Kerr Bush, Myross Bush
  • Kingswood Bush Weedbusters
  • Omaui Reserve Restoration Project
  • Oreti Totara Dune Forest
  • Otatara Scenic Reserve
  • Phillips St Reserve, Invercargill
  • Sandy Point Domain, Invercargill
  • Southland Community Nursery
  • Thomsons Bush, Invercargill
  • Waihopai Dam Wetlands, Invercargill

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Our Supporters

Invercargill City Council Environment Southland Department of Conservation Forest and Bird Southland Community Nursery
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