“Plant Me Instead” Booklet for Northland
The dumping of garden waste by residents in Northland, as well as seeds spread by birds and wind, means that weedy species being grown in private gardens often end up growing in parks, reserves and bush remnants. The cost of controlling these “garden escapes” is significant to both taxpayers and ratepayers through costs incurred by city/district/regional councils and the Department of Conservation (DOC).
Gardeners need to be aware of the ornamental species they are growing in their gardens that have the potential to ‘jump the fence’ and invade natural areas, as well as ‘friendly alternatives’ that can be planted in their place. Weedbusters (with help from DOC and NRC) is reviewing a “plant me instead” booklet that will show the garden plants that are the most common “escapees” in Northland, and will then suggest similar plants, both native and non-native that are good substitutes for gardens.
We are requesting your help in putting together this booklet. We need to know which weeds (garden escapes) of most concern around the region so that we can make the booklet relevant to Northland. Please get other interested people to fill in the attached form also.
It would be helpful if you could return the attached form with the following information:
1. Please list weeds (garden escapes) that are of concern to you. There is no limit to how many weeds you put on your list. (Please list what is actually out there – don’t feel you have to be restricted to any “official weed” lists!)
2. Then rank the weeds you’ve listed from those of most concern through to the weed of least concern (use 1 = weed of most concern & carry on through the numbers until you run out of weeds on the list!)
3. Please give reasons why these plants are a problem for you.
4. Let us know if your organisation would be interested in purchasing a number of these booklets. Cost per booklet will depend on how many pages the booklet is & how many booklets we print – the larger the print run the cheaper the booklets!!
Please reply by email to gwilliams@doc.govt.nz or use the postal address below. Or you can drop your completed form in to the Environment Centre (190 Pukepoto Road, Kaitaia). Replies need to be in by 30th January so that they can be collated and used in production of the booklet.
Gina Williams
Technical Support Officer, Biodiversity Threats, gwilliams@doc.govt.nz Northland Conservancy, PO Box 842, 149-151 Bank Street, Whangarei Phone 09 4703331 | Fax 09 4703301
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