Get Involved

Work Days – please come join us …

Over the past 15 years, keen volunteers have undertaken a series of working bees clearing “wilding” (self-seeding) trees, sweetbriar and broom from roadsides and public conservation land around Lake Ōhau.

Restoration planting of native seedlings has also been done. These are grown by the Department of Conservation’s Motukarara Plant Nursery staff from Ōhau-sourced seed. Hundreds of little mountain beech, kowhai, hoheria, hebes, snow totara and snow tussocks are thriving, greatly helped when we have wet summers. Both the Alps 2 Ocean (A2O) Cycleway and Te Araroa Trail from Cape Reinga to Bluff pass through this area. The plantings have been aimed at enhancing biodiversity and habitats along the lake margin, as well as restoring the natural environment that walkers and bikers visit and travel through.

Regular Trust working bees generally involve removing wilding pines and planting. Outings for 2020 are scheduled on the following dates:

  • 9 February 2020 (after Waitangi Day)
  • 12 April (Easter Sunday) – Beech tree planting – cancelled (covid-19 level 4 restrictions)
  • 26 April (day after ANZAC Day)- cancelled (covid-19 level 4 restrictions)
  • 31 May (Queens Birthday weekend) – tbc (depends on covid-19 restrictions at this time)
  • 27 September (South Canterbury Anniversary weekend)
  • 25 October (Labour Day weekend) – cancelled (Lake Ōhau fire)
  • 15 November (Canterbury Show weekend) – cancelled (Lake Ōhau fire)

All are Sunday mornings, commencing at 10am, at locations that are advised by email a few days beforehand.

Anyone interested is most welcome to join these outings, even if you want to do no more than have a look at what we’re doing.

Removing wilding pines
Removing wilding pines  
Planting Session
The Alps 2 Ocean Cycleway
The Alps 2 Ocean Cycleway from Mt Cook to Oamaru traverses the southern end of Lake Ōhau and passes this kettle hole, formed naturally as the glaciers retreated 15,000 years ago. In the 1800s before roads were established up the lakesides, Boat Harbour (sometimes now called Kettle Cove) was the landing place for wool and chaff from the high country stations in the upper valley, as it was sheltered from winds from every direction. Across the lake, Ben Ōhau mountain forms a spectacular background, and in spring the prolific kowhais around the lake shore put on a rich display of flowers. Photo courtesy Albert Aanensen, all rights reserved.