ECan sends Rima plantlist (6000+ plants) available

The complexity of the online world is increasing (security, online interaction, performance factors including response time and consistency, new functionality, AI components, changing usage norms, interchangeability of devices (desktop-mobile) and other underlying technical layers that a website’s user never sees) .

The development platforms and productivity tools available are burgeoning.

Finding the right solution for the Birdsong Project took a while but in the end Squarespace was a clear winner.

Rima, Shawn and Dave met to discuss the project and to discuss forming the Trust. Dave is keen to be on the trust and will do the work to form the Trust.

Rima and John visited the reserve with the philanthropists. They loved the reserve and trust that Rima will guide the project to it’s potential.

Jo and Rima visited two nearby properties with indigenous biodiversity to collect seeds. Gough’s Nursery will grow plants for the project from the collected seed.

At a community funding workshop run by Hurunui District Council, Rima spoke to the Rātā fund representative about the Birdsong Project. Rātā fund large projects and require that the project contributes at least a third of the project cost. Vimbayi, from Rātā thought Birdsong could fit within their funding criteria and suggested a meeting in the near future.

How to organise bank account, potential Trustees for a Trust, potential volunteers

Rima and Sue visited the site to discuss the potential. Sue agrees to become the ecological lead for the project and starts work on researching the biodiversity and history of the area.

Jo lets people in the Scargill Community know of tentative plans for the project and invites people to become involved.

Committee discussed possible names for the project, Rima floated the ideas of The Birdsong.

Field trip to the Reserve with Jason Butt, a wetland expert from ECan, Rima Herber and Dave Nicholls. Jason made a comprehensive list of all the plants he found at the site, which will become part of the baseline data for the site before planting begins.

The Birdsong Team and the Scargill community are grateful for a donation that will allow the project to get started sooner than anticipated.

Willow Clearance had been initiated by the Reserve Committee well before any of this started and there were plans in place to steadily enhance the biodiversity of the wetland by first removing the invasive willows that were choking the stream.

Rima contacts Jason Butt, ECan's wetland expert, to discuss the opportunity presented at the site.

Momentum seems to be building on many fronts. Many potential stakeholders are expressing enthusiastic support for the idea. In the meantime, the Reserve Committee had done a load of work on clearing the willows from the stream bed.

Rima met to discuss options for funding the restoration planting project at the Reserve.

eMail from Iana Stoliarova at ECan to ask if Rima was aware of any restoration projects in Motunau district

Jo approached Rima for advice on starting a restoration project at the Scargill Motunau Recreation Reserve.