Sunday 14 June 2pm
Finish: 4-5pm
repeating every 3 weeks thereafter till the beard is gone.
(5 July, 26 July, etc)
Some time ago I discovered this track. And all the old man's beard on it. I talked to a local conservation group, which lead to a talk to the Department of Conservation which lead to the first session out here, killing off this noxious weed. DoC came along then, showing us the ropes. It's up to us to keep the momentum going.
The geocaching team have been running CITOs here for a while now, and the place is looking amazing, especially when we go occasionally go back and pull out some of the other non-native pests. But it has been a couple of months since we were last here - the beard has probably grown all straggly and could use our help to get it under control. Or if we are lucky, there has been no regrowth at all! Let's keep up the good work.
Come and give me a hand at the Hinepango Wetlands!
Things to bring:
Good shoes
Gardening gloves
Loppers / secatuers (but I will have some loppers available)
I will have water available. And biscuits!
The patch we will be working on is densly covered in blackberry. Taybeedragon will have sprayed it, and she and I will mop up the left overs with a scrub cutter and lawnmower, but be aware that the ground will be covered in munched prickles. Jandels will not cut it.
Old man's beard (clematis vitalba) was introduced into New Zealand before 1920 as an ornamental plant. It is a tree climbing vine and can grow so thickly that it blocks the light, affecting health and germination of the plants below. It is illegal to sell or propagate old man's beard in many countries, including New Zealand.
The distinctive seed ball of old man's beard