Summer News- December 2021
It’s been a big year in Aotearoa, and now summer is upon is, we hope you have the opportunity to relax and get outdoors for adventures and summer fun. We’ve also had a productive year in Te Mata Park with many achievements to celebrate. Thousands of native trees have been planted and mulched, several local schools have adopted land in Te Kahika and begun planting out these areas, the rongoā garden is lush and thriving, and there are many exciting projects in the pipeline for next year.
Thank you to everyone who has given their time, resources, and energy to enhance and protect the Park this past year. There will be much more to come in 2022.
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas season,
The Te Mata Park Trust Board
Join in Giving Trees This Christmas
A $10 gift that will impact future generations
The Park Trust is more than half way through an extensive native tree planting initiative which will see 60,000 trees planted across the Park. Over 40,000 trees have now been planted, and the remainder will go in the ground next winter. In the long term, these efforts will significantly improve biodiversity, creating a beautiful habitat for native birds and a wonderful destination for all Park users.
These plantings would not be possible without the charitable contributions of our community members (you!). This holiday season, help shape the future of the Park and give the gift of native trees.
When you donate, you will receive an email with a link to a certificate that can be given as a gift, and bonus, it will fit neatly into a stocking! A great gift for the nature lovers, hikers, bikers, walkers, and runners on your list that love the Park or children who will enjoy it for years to come.
After a year of aroha and mahi by our roopū, the rongoā garden in Te Mata Park is growing and thriving. Tyne-Marie Nelson continues to lead the roopū, sharing her knowledge of plants and the wai rakau she creates.
Recently, the roopū was honoured with a visit from Kaumātua Jerry Hapuku who named the rongoā roopū, Te Roopu Puke Atea, and blessed the space and the mahi being accomplished there. He was joined by Pereri King who shared his gift of waiata.
The rongoā area is developing into a space of Wānanga and Whanaungatanga, and our whānau is building a stream bed through the area with collected rocks, bringing mauri from around the rohe. It is a very special project, and we are grateful to Tyne-Marie and the roopū for all they do.
If you are interested in rongoā and would like to join the roopū, please get in touch by responding to this email. All are welcome.
Read more about the rongoā garden in an article by Hawke’s Bay Today.
Protect the Natural History of Our Park
The natural history of the land is a taonga tuku iho (heavenly gift) and should always be protected and respected.
We received unfortunate news that recently some visitors brought hammers into the Park and used them to remove fossils from rocks, damaging the beautiful land and removing natural history that was not theirs to take. The fossilised shells throughout the Park have been here for over 2 million years, and they belong in this place.
Whilst we realise this is an isolated incident, we ask that you please do not take from this land. We thank you for respecting our treasured Park.
WORDS FROM MIKE LUSK (our resident plant expert and caretaker for over 20 years) :
Te Mata Park Redwoods
There are two species of redwoods thriving in Te Mata Park.
The original planting of coastal redwoods, Sequoia sempervirens (pictured first) was in Te Hau valley at about the time of the creation of the Park in 1927. The second planting was in Te Heu valley below Webb’s bush, in 1974 and most recently the rapidly growing group on the east side of Te Mata Peak Road was planted in 2009 when some decrepit old man pines and eucalypts were removed.The largest tree in California is 115m tall and several thousand years old, so ours have a bit of work to catch up.
The other species is the giant redwood, Sequioadendron giganteum (pictured second), the trunk of which tapers more noticeably and which also grows to be a huge tree. It is in fact the largest growing thing in the world. The most obvious ones are just above the top end of Webb’s Bush. Height can be over 94m and they too can live for several thousand years.
Unlike Pinus radiata in the Park, the redwoods produce very few seedings, which is a great blessing!
A visit to the Te Hau valley trees is well worth the effort in any weather except the strongest winds. On a calm day enjoy the cathedral-like setting, then lie on the ground to marvel at the towering columns and the patterns created by the branches in the canopy.
- DOGS: Please control dogs and clean up after them. If you have a dog that can be unpredictable, please keep them on a lead.
- CAR THEFT: Please don’t leave valuables in your car when visiting the Park to discourage theft from vehicles.
- INCIDENTS: Report any incidents you see by contacting us through Facebook or notifying the police by calling 105.
THANK YOU for your ongoing support of Te Mata Park.
Please do contact us HERE if you have any questions or concerns.
Five times winner of the prestigious international green space award.
Bruno Chambers 