“I’ve learned so much about ecological restoration and trees through a hands-on approach.”

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Photo by Sinead Marsh

ROSS GARDINER is passionate and steadfast in developing forest down in Island Bay. He has spent a number of years working with the Manawa Karioi community. Forest restoration is something that interested Ross in his 20’s, the beginning of 2000s. A friend of his was living at the Marae and was involved in the tree planting project, which caught Ross’ attention.

“When I was a little kid, primary school age, I learned from my brother that a huge amount of Kauri Forest had been cut down. Something needed to be done about it.” Much of Wellington’s forest was burned off in the 1800s to create farmland to feed the new city. However, the farming was insufficient because of the steepness of the land. The Kohekohe tree, a main component of the bush, was one of the first to be re-introduced into the 25 hectares of land.

Through a lot of hard work, Ross and a couple of other volunteers have kept the tracks open, though it had its challenges. Mounds of overgrown Gorse and Blackberries destined to be dealt with. Back in 2004, they even got a flail deck operator to help, though they mostly did it with hand tools. Some of the tracks aren’t yet perfect – so it’s necessary to use a scrub cutter for part of the process. “It is great to see the community making use of the tracks. Everyone is appreciative of it; I get a good feeling from that.”

The Ewekuri tree has been decimated by possums, so it is now super rare. Ross and the team have been working on a propagation project to bring the plant back home. Predator Free Wellington has been lending a hand, eradicating pests which is a huge help in saving this endemic tree. Ross is working on transplanting the seedlings as the Ewekuri population grows.

Weather dependent, Ross gets between 8 and 20 volunteers to help with tasks like weeding or track cutting that help the days go quickly. For the older volunteers, there is nursery work to get on with. When planting out, the work is done meticulously. It’s important not to waste resources, as the plants obtained from various sources: a licensed community member, Wellington City Council, and Forest & Bird.

Outside of volunteering, Ross has experience organising events and hard landscaping. “Now the bush is coming through; you can see the effects of the work, I’ve learned so much about ecological restoration and trees through a hands-on approach, talking to other groups, and reading.” From invasive scrub to sanctuary, Ross has been an indispensable member in the development of this project.