Alan chips away at Breve Street reserve restoration

23 May, 2022

A year and a half ago Breve Street resident Alan McIntyre saw a sign over the road from his house looking for volunteers to help restoration work in Mangawhai’s Breve Street Reserve – a track down to the waterside – so Alan offered his help to Weed Action Group and got to work.

Kaipara District Council (KDC) completed some repair work on the stormwater flow, installing some gabion baskets, but the area needed a lot of weed control and replanting so Alan has been chipping away at it solo for the past 18 months.

KDC stepped in and removed some big old pines to make room for more appropriate natives but Alans wish is that the council will return and do some much needed repair work on the walking track down to the water so it is safe for the community to use.

The next big step for Alan and his willing volunteers is to finish the weeding and get to work planting when the track is completed and the weather is right. It’s not a big area but it’s a lot for one man to manage.

To ensure the good work doesn’t go to waste, Piroa-Brynderwyns Landcare Group is providing Alan with some traps to help manage animal pests in the reserve, especially to keep rat numbers down, and Weed Action is providing much needed weed sprays.

n What does Alan need to keep his good work going? Mangawhai Natives is kindly helping with some plants, but if you are keen to help with the planting or donate some natives for planting, please contact PiroaBrynderwynsLandcare@outlook.com. PBL and Weed Action will take any kind offers to help.