Weed control across the Okura management units in March–April 2026 totalled 121.5 hours, continuing the 2025 programme with full surveys and targeted treatment of priority species. All primary weeds were controlled in the Chenier units, with additional work on pampas, smilax, moth plant, tree lupin, woolly nightshade, and privet. Sandspit and Southern Esplanade received focused interventions, including pampas avoidance near…
Category: Conservation
Weeding Report January 2026 by Island Solutions
Between November and December 2025, Island Solutions completed ~180 hours of weed control across six Okura management units. The cheniers received full surveys, with all primary weeds—climbing asparagus, smilax, honeysuckle, periwinkle—controlled. Other units were strategically sampled, revealing new weed incursions linked to nearby gardens, forestry disturbance, and private land. Key issues include steep‑slope access, reinvasion pressure, and misidentification risks (stinking…
Predator Control Report July 2025
ACHIEVEMENTS THIS PAST AGM YEAR: Volunteer mahi hours (parks & reserves): over 428 hours (many hours not reported). Council contractors continued with live cat trapping at Dacre Historic and Esplanade Reserve and thankfully started earlier in the breeding season than the previous year. A Community Conservation Day was held out at the Stillwater Boating Club, gained a few additional interested…
Read all about FOOB’s activities over the past year, and join us for a great line-up of events on 21 July 2024
Ahead of our AGM (Sunday, 21 July), we are pleased to share with you our AGM report for 2024. We hope you enjoy reading about our activities from the past year, including: – our community planting and weeding events – predator control initiatives (incorporating our traplines, and backyard trapping in Stillwater and Okura) – property pest plans – how our…
The Ruru Guru – Guest Speaker Rowan Nicholson & FOOB AGM – 21 July, 3pm
Friends of Okura Bush is excited to welcome Rowan Nicholson as a guest speaker on Sunday 21 July. Dubbed the ‘Ruru Guru’ by fellow bird enthusiasts, Rowan Nicholson has become renowned for his beautiful photography and ground-breaking footage of our native owl (the ruru). As wildlife photographer, gaming animator, storyteller and biodiversity advocate, Rowan’s story has something for everyone. Rowan…
Predator Control Update – 1st Quarter 2024
Our amazing volunteers have spent over 147 mahi hours this 1st Quarter ridding our local parks and reserves of 349 Predator Pests. That’s 349 less individuals able to feast themselves on our precious fauna, out-compete our natives on accessing their natural food sources, and strip our native plants of their leaves, berries and seeds.
Pet Cats Caught in Okura/Stillwater Biodiversity Hot Spots.
This past 10 months have seen 13 cats caught in live-catch traps on or beside Biodiversity Focus Areas (BFAs) in our local area. Five of these have been Domestic/Pet cats.
Stillwater Reserve and Okura Bush Walkway planting day a Success!
More than 65 people of all ages turned up at the Stillwater Reserve on Sunday 8th of August 2021 for the annual Friends of Okura Bush planting day. Two sites were planted this year after weed control measures to prepare the sites: 1. Areas along the creek at Stillwater Recreation Reserve behind the hall and 2. Cheniers at Weiti River…
Sun Orchids under the Summer’s Sun.
Date: 21st November, 2020. Place: Stillwater Reserve. It was a typical day at work. I woke up with the sun eager to be learn more about endangered birds nesting in Stillwater Reserve with Bernard Michaux. We were going to go out on one of the cheniers in Stillwater Reserve and scout the nesting sites of NZ Dotterels to formulate a…
Weeding Report for June 2021
I have happy news to share in this month’s report. The dent Chris, Tadhg and I made in the Japanese Honeysuckle infestation in Deborah continuing into Okura Esplanade is more pronounced and ready for planting as can be seen from Fig1(a) and 1(b). There are other infestations in Okura Esplanade contiguous to Fig1(b) we will be work on in the…
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