RECENT NEWS

06-Jun-11

NorthTec Twin Coast Cycleway Outdoor Classrooms.

by Geoff McDonald

Twin Coast Cycleway: an outdoor classroom for NorthTec students.

NorthTec’s Sustainable Rural Development Level 3 Course provides the skills necessary to be able to successfully establish native plants for habitat restoration, riparian management and amenity purposes. These skills include weed identification and control techniques. The Cycleway is a great opportunity to get practical experience. Students are working to recreate an area of conifer/broadleaf forest similar to the original forest of the area. The objective is to provide users of the trail with an environment that reflects the biodiversity and conservation values of Northland’s indigenous flora. Large numbers of pioneer trees are needed including Manuka, Kanuka, Karamu, Ti kouka and Koromiko. These trees will provide a level of weed suppression and shade the soil, creating an environment for a selection of canopy trees such as Kauri to grow in. The current plantings are using trees raised locally using eco-sourced seed, and provided by FNDC.


	Students Planting on Cycle Trail

As part of their course the students have designed the revegetation project and have planted a 300m section of the trail. It will be interesting to see how much maintenance this strip is going to need before it can be self sustaining. Based on other regeneration projects in the region it will take two to three years of regular weeding, freeing up of plants, judicious spraying and many man hours.

The NorthTec Sustainable Rural Development Level 3 Course also covers permaculture and natural building techniques. It will be run again in the second half of the year, along with the Level 2 Course that covers home gardening from seed to the table, including food preservation. The courses start in July in Kaikohe and are fee free.

If you are interested in this opportunity please contact tutor and Bio Diversity Manager of the cycleway Justin Blaikie on 09 405 9868 or text 027 733 1358.

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