| Contact WeedFree
Trust on 09 826 4276 if
you are interested in
any of the projects below... |
| |
| Management
plans A WeedFree
Trust representative can
visit your property at
no charge. After consultation
with you, they'll provide
a written management plan
for the long-term control
of environmental weeds,
and subsequent replanting
of natives. The management
plans are particularly
useful for those with
limited knowledge of weeds
and natives, or with extensive
weed infestation of native
bush. The plans are funded
through Waitakere City
Council (WCC). |
| |
| Green
Network assistance
The Green
Network is a WCC initiative
to promote the creation
of interlinked areas of
native bush throughout
Waitakere City. Replanting
natives and keeping these
areas free from environmental
weeds facilitates the
free movement of native
birds, reptiles and amphibians.
Assistance can include
free sachets of herbicide,
a jumbo bin for weed removal
and contractor assistance
of up to $300.00 per annum. |
| |
| Advice
on the phone and site
visits Staff, available
most days, can provide
advice on all aspects
of invasive weed control.
WeedFree can put you in
touch with reliable contractors,
WCC or Auckland Regional
Council biosecurity officers
and keep you up to date
with best practice around
herbicide use. The WeedFree
Trust is committed to
herbicide reduction in
Waitakere City. |
| |
| If the problem cannot
be worked out over the
phone, a Trust staff member
will make a site visit
at no charge - time permitting.
(Donations to the Trust
are of course, always
welcome.) |
|
| |
| Ginger
drums The Trust
found that ginger rhizomes
if roughly chopped, packed
into 200-litre plastic
drums and covered with
water, take about two
months to die. Once neutralised
in water they can be left
in the bush to rot away.
The drums are also an
effective way to neutralise
Tradescantia (wandering
jew), Plectranthus, jasmine
vines, schrub balsam and
others. |
| |
| The plastic drums are
$20.00 each and the Trust
delivers them to you.
The drums are best situated
in areas well away from
dwellings. They have metal
clamp seals and are recycled
from non-toxic sources.
However, do not use them
to hold drinking water. |
|
| |
| Weed
Containment Bags
are ideal for weeds like
Tradescantia (wandering
jew) and are designed
to sit under shade in
a bush area. Shaped like
huge pillowcases and made
from durable woven weed
matting, the bags can
measure 2m by 3m or even
larger if required. |
| |
| Tradescantia is raked
up and dumped into the
bags. When full the top
is sealed to keep the
light out. Over six months,
even if nothing else is
added to assist break
down, the biomass will
shrink to almost half
the size. The Trust is
researching ways to dramatically
reduce the time the weeds
take to break down in
the bags. Tradescantia
does not set seed in New
Zealand, so once it has
rotted down the end result
makes great compost. |
| |
| Bags range in price depending on size and start from $17 each. They can be ordered through
WeedFree Trust and if cared
for, bags will last five
years. They are made in
Waitakere City for the
Trust. |
|
| |
| War
on Weeds Bags As
part of the War on Weeds
project, the Trust supplies
property owners in Waitakere
City 10 free weed bags
per year. About the size
of household garbage bags,
they are designed for
the most pernicious invasive
weeds that cannot normally
be composted. The bags
are ideal for disposing
of seed heads, small infestations
of Tradescantia, corms
and bulbs. They are not
designed to take bamboo
or sharp sticks and branches.
The Trust will organise
pickup and removal of
bags. |
| |
| Volunteer
Help WeedFree Trust
can provide volunteers
for private property owners,
under certain conditions.
The elderly, and those
with reduced means or
special needs, may contact
us to see if they are
eligible. Under certain
circumstances we are able
to provide Corrections
workers to assist private
property owners. The workers
concerned do not have
convictions for criminal
offences and are usually
completing Community Service
as a result of drink driving
offences. If appropriate,
we will discuss this option
with you. |
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