Club Night July 2017
Two new members were welcomed.
The Club will celebrate its 40th anniversary on the 28-29 October 2017. All members and ex members are invited to register.
1080 has been laid in the Herbert Forest so dog owners were advised to keep them on a lead.
The pest traps the club looks after are to be rebaited shortly.
Trip Reports:
7 trampers headed up the North Temple for a cold but fine day, stayed at Twizel for the night and attempted going up the Pyramids in the fog the next day with limited success.
A round trip from Bethune’s Gully up Mt. Cargill returning via the organ pipes and Sawyers Bay was enjoyed by 9 members.
Wednesday Walkers:
A walk around the historic sites of Hampden and Herbert covered 13k on a very windy day.
Trig L was climbed via a steep ridge from the south, returning down a 4wd track.
Next week, as the weather looked dicey, it was decided to walk the Kurow A2O Track down to the winery, returning up beside the Waitaki River to the new bridges.
The 5 July was the mid-winter dinner at the Star and Garter but a 7k Papakaio farm walk was enjoyed in the morning.
Our Club Night Guest speaker was Arun Gunn from Port Blakely, the forest owners of the Herbert Forest, other New Zealand and also overseas forests.
He told us about the Forest Stewardship Council, an international gold standard certification for responsible forest management. Port Blakely NZ have been certified since 2003. One of the aims is to maintain or enhance the long term economic, social and environmental benefits from the forest.
It involves forest monitoring for things like forest health, nutrients needed, planting, tree management and harvesting, and a tree can be tracked right through to the finished product.
Wilding pine spread is anticipated with help for control given where appropriate. Significant natural areas such as podocarp remnants are identified and their social use is encouraged, as happens in the Herbert Forest. Pests are being controlled.
Arun thoughtfully answered many questions from the meeting.
Coming Trips:
16 July there will be a working bee in the Herbert Forest. Because it is so wet it will mainly involve baiting traps and bait stations.
29-30 July is a “relaxed” biking trip in the Alexandra area.
The “whats on” page has more details.