A group fighting a big environmental problem is calling for a big community solution.
The Motueka Catchment Collective is asking for all hands on-deck during this weekend’s big community weeding event, in an attempt to stifle the spread of Old Man’s Beard.
Despite its story-book name, Old Man’s Beard is an insidious pest species that is prolific in parts of the Tasman District, including Brooklyn and the Motueka Valley.
Bruce Stare, who is part of the MCC’s pest management group, says that the weed operates by climbing up anything that will improve the chances of its seeds catching the wind.
“In the bush, that means climbing up trees,” he says. “It grows rapidly and is capable of smothering low to medium trees to the extent they will either collapse under the weight or be severely deformed as they try to escape.”
However, the plant is relatively easy to get rid of, with the correct methods. A technique of “curtaining” the vine by cutting it at shoulder height and at the base, and then applying herbicide to the lower cut, can remove large infestations.
The effort must be an ongoing one, to combat the seeds left in the ground from previous years, but the volunteer groups set up to combat Old Man’s Beard in the Motueka Valley and Brooklyn – the latter known affectionately as the BOMB Squad – are making steady and significant progress. The catchment collective will continue to support and expand the work that these groups do.
This Sunday’s event is set to help landowners combat the weed along the Motueka River West Bank Road from the Graham River, through to the end of the two bush tunnels that are a scenic highlight for many who travel on that stretch of road. Bruce says that there are many different pest plants in this strip, but Old Man’s Beard is one of the worst.
The working bee will start clearing from the Graham Stream, where there is a major infestation that will take “a serious effort to wipe out”.
The catchment collective has been provided with funds from the Ministry of Primary Industries to support the community in enhancing the catchment’s health, and the pest management group have set a two-year timeline to complete this project.
The ongoing plan is to return to this site over that period and continue the work through to finality. Bruce says that some areas will be totally cleared by the professional operators helping the group, and those areas will be replanted with native trees.
Volunteers are asked to meet at 10am, on Sunday, 11 August, at the Little Pokororo Hall for the morning working bee. Training and all gear, including cutting equipment, gel and gloves, will be provided, as will a light snack after midday.
