Residents Help Kids Welcome More Wētā
Ryman’s Bert Sutcliffe Village residents Norris and Dick have put their woodworking skills to great use by whipping up 30 wētā hotels for local conservation use.
The pair constructed the hotels using untreated wood and tools in the village workshop over several months, with the design specially crafted to welcome wētā and obstruct predators.
The mission follows on from a similar conservation effort on the Devonport peninsula assisted by residents from Ryman’s William Sanders village.
In Birkenhead, Norris and Dick connected with environmental group Pest Free Kapātiki (PFK) to find out where the best locations for the wētā hotels would be.
PFK Kauri Dieback Campaign Coordinator Maisie Hamilton Murray said the hotels would be perfect to use during the Birkdale Beach Haven Community Project’s school holiday programme at Shepherds Park and these holidays Norris and Dick got the chance to present four wētā hotels in person.
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Poll: When should the tree go up? 🎄
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What are your thoughts on the best time to get your Christmas tree up?
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4.7% Second half of November
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43.5% 1st December
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17.7% A week before Christmas
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33% Whenever you wish
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1.1% Other - I'll share below
Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.
When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?
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82.9% Yes
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14.3% No
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2.8% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite tomato recipe?
Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.