Take a walk at Grovetown lagoon

Restoration work continues at Grovetown Lagoon with weed spraying, native plantings and trapping pests.

Te Whanau Hou Grovetown Lagoon Coordinator Justine Johnson told Council’s Environment and Planning Committee that tens of thousands of natives had been planted since the project began, with 1,879 planted in the 2023 season.

“The project began in the late 1990s when the degradation of the lagoon became obvious to Council who partnered with Iwi, DOC and the community,” she said. “In 2002 the Te Whanau Hou Grovetown Lagoon Inc was formed to enhance lagoon plantings, eradicate weeds and control predators.”

In the past year a drone has been used to spray willows in the wetland area and a poisoning programme for crack willow and old man’s beard was completed.

“Native Restoration donated a day’s labour of six staff to control old man’s beard, convolvulus, wild grapevines and climbing rose on Otamawaho/Māori Island,” she said.

The society began a predator control programme in 2017 and today there are 80 traps at the lagoon, monitored by volunteers.

Rats are the main pest with 674 trapped since 2017, and hedgehogs, rabbits, weasels and stoats also caught.

The area is a popular walking area with the lagoon track counter recording 15,471 visitors in 2023.

This year the society has worked closely with Landcare Trust on several community and educational events at the lagoon with plans for a shaded seated area to encourage group visits and talks.

In addition to Council funding, the habitat restoration is supported by sponsors including the Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust, Simcox Construction, who undertook $15,000 of track work recently, and Dog Point Vineyard.

A new management plan is currently being prepared to ensure the lagoon’s protection into the future.