Silver linings from severe storm
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A storm has proved the catalyst for an extension of the Methven cemetery and an upgrade to the walkway.
It is just over a year since strong winds decimated the treeline at the cemetery and the area has been reestablished including the section of the town’s popular walkway.
Methven Lions spokesman Mac McElwain said they had just completed a reseal of the shingle walkway along the cemetery edge only for it to be “completely wrecked”.
“All the trees came down and the roots ripped up so what we had laid 10 days earlier just disappeared,” he said.
The council cleared away the debris and the roots, a repair job estimated to cost about $70,000, enabling it to extend the cemetery area, future-proofing the site.
The Lions had to reinstate a new walkway path along the eastern edge of the cemetery which forms part of a loop track around the town that the Lions spent the last year reshingling.
What remained of the tree line has been transformed into a bund and the Lions also chipped in with a council-run planting day at the end of October.
“The whole thing has been a collaborative venture between lions and the council,” McElwain said.
About 2500 native species were planted on the newly created bund made from the rubble of the damaged tree extraction, while several Sequoiadendron giganteum (Wellingtonia) have been planted alongside the walkway.
A strip of native planting is planned for the inside of the reinstated track to separate it from the cemetery.
McElwain said the council and Lions plan to install a new track linkage from the bridge to the domain, along the rodeo arena fence line, and plant a new coniferous hedge adjacent to it.
The Lions also launched a special clean-up project for the headstones in the cemetery last year
“Since that storm and the necessary thinning out of all the trees, it's allowed a lot more light and wind through the cemetery itself, and with a bit of spray from us the effect on the headstones has been extraordinary.”
A memorial seat that was recovered from under the fallen trees has been repositioned in a new location and further seating is planned to be added once more planting is completed next winter where the council hopes to work with local schools.
Best way to use leftovers?
I'm sure you've got some excess ham at home or cold roast potatoes.
What are some of your favourite ways to use leftover food from Christmas day? Share below.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
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62.4% Summer
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36.2% Winter
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1.4% Other - I'll share below
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