Kia ora neighbours,
It’s Friends of the Farm with an update on mangroves. As you would have noticed it has been another bumper year for mangroves and there are thousands of seedlings along the length of the Esplanade. For those of you who are new to the area, our community has helped to manage the mangrove growth on the Esplanade for many years.
The focus of this work has always been first and foremost the ecology of the area.
We know opinions are divided on mangroves and we don’t claim to be experts on them. Mangroves have a place and many advantages in the eco system. Yet if these mangroves are left to colonise, the ecosystem of the Esplanade will change. The birds will move further onto the shore as their current safe roosts on the exposed lava flows will be covered in mangroves. This will also mean that the mud flats in which they find their food will be further away into the harbour and covered by tide. The birds are already affected by recreational activities along the Esplanade which, at times, significantly hinder their ability to roost on the large grassy patches, and this will only increase if the birds no longer have the lava mud flats available for roosting.
For more than ten years, we have seen that keeping most of the Esplanade free of mangroves has continued to enable our wonderful sea birds to forage at low tide and roost on the exposed lava flows.
Removing the seedlings takes a concerted community effort. It’s tough work. They need to be hand pulled and be under 60cms high and they cannot be removed from under established mangrove
areas. We all enjoy the beauty of the area.
At this stage we have three planned mangrove removal dates: Sunday 4th , Sunday 18th May, and Saturday 31st May, 9 – 11 am. Also, we know that people individually remove seedlings, and some of you have already made a very dedicated effort. We would love to know who those people are so that we can help support their wonderful efforts. Please contact us.
We would like to hear from you and understand where locals sit on this issue. Please feel free to contact us.
Ngā mihi nui
Janine Nillesen
Co- Chair, Friends of the Farm
friends@fof.nz
www.aboutmangerebridge.nz
April 2025
Friends of the Farm is a local group focused on reducing waste and protecting the environment and has partnered with Auckland Council for more than ten years to deliver education and waste reduction services.
