Speaking at the board’s public forum, trust chairman Simon Laing and treasurer Viktoria Kahui gave a recap of the organisation’s busy programme of work since 2020.
An Eco Fund grant from the Otago Regional Council had been used to establish a nursery for propagation of most of the estimated 40,000 to 50,000 plants that would be needed to re-plant the marsh over the next 10 to 20 years, Mr Laing said.
The trust had a funding application before the board in which it requested $1000 to help ‘‘keep the ball rolling’’ on the project.
‘‘We are able to grow many of our own plants in the nursery, but there are some native species that are very challenging to propagate,’’ he said.
‘‘We would use the funds to buy some of these special plants.’’
During questions, the trust was commended on its hard work by community board member Leanne Stenhouse and chairman Scott Weatherall.
Board members agreed it would be useful for them to visit the trust’s work sites to see for themselves the progress on planting.
Later in the meeting, the board agreed to fund the continued work of the trust to the tune of $1000.
In her report to the board as its Keep Dunedin Beautiful representative, Christina McBratney spoke of the organisation’s concern over the growing amount of dog poo being left by owners on the city’s streets.
With Clean-Up Week running from October 25 to 31, it was hoped people would pay extra attention to keeping their streets clean and tidy, she said.
Cr Jules Radich joined the discussion, saying that the roadsides between Dunedin and Mosgiel were actively cleaned by contractors, and a very large amount of rubbish was collected.
‘‘The volume speaks to how much rubbish people are discarding out the window [of their vehicle],’’ he said.
Board chairman Mr Weatherall told members progress on growing pikau at Milburn was going well, and Otago Peninsula board chairman Paul Pope was arranging collection.
‘‘We hope to be able to have a planting morning before the end of the year,’’ Mr Weatherall said.
A workable test planting site could be designated at Braids Hill Reserve, near the freedom camping area, he said.
The board was still awaiting the outcome of the Delta Drive basketball court project, for which it had provisionally allocated $5000 from its discretionary fund.
In his chairman’s report, Mr Weatherall noted community concerns he had heard in relation to Scroggs Hill Rd markings, the rough state of Domain Rd, and the drain at Friendship Dr.
He also expressed concern at narrow sections of Bath St, in Brighton, which were blocked by vegetation and a fence to the extent they could not be negotiated by emergency services.
