We are a small group of local residents helping to create a healthy native habitat in Jaggers Bush, a thin strip of coastal broadleaf forest wedged between Westmere and Seddon Fields.
Being a Significant Ecological Area (SEA), Jaggers Bush gets Auckland Council funding for periodic predator control. We’re adding to that effort by running a council approved trapline targeting rats and possums. We already see tūī, pīwakawaka (fantails) and riroriro (grey warblers) year-round, along with kōtare (kingfishers) and warou (welcome swallows). Kēreru are occasional visitors we’d like to see more of, and we’re always happy when rūrū (morepork) are heard.
The reserve is also in the middle of a multi-year contractor programme to remove willow and privet. We’re augmenting this by running community weeding bees with support from Urban Ark. These are primarily focused on pulling out seedlings and saplings of invasive pest plants like privet and wattle, to free up ecological space for native seedlings to establish. Sadly the park is a former landfull site, so we work with great care and communicate regularly with the Waitematā Community ranger to ensure that everybody is kept safe.
If you live near the reserve and would like to help us give it some love please drop Peter a line.
