90 people and 3800 trees to be planted on Sunday 5th August 2001. This is the second year we have gone tree planting on Motutapu.
Camel, Rose Red AG and Busby journeyed on the ferry to Motutapu, with stops at Devonport and Rangitoto Island. Department of Conservation trucks were at Islington Bay to pick us up, but were quickly filled, so we started walking. 25 minutes later the trucks picked us up in the second load.
On arriving Busby stopped for morning tea (it's very important to fuel up first). We were briefed on how to best plant the trees (dig a hole, put plant in, fill up around it). Grabbing a few spades and a tray of assorted native seedlings we headed down the steep and unforgiving hill. We dug holes and planted trees until past the point of being exhausted. Then we realized our lunches were back up at the top of the hill. After an all too brief break during which RoseRed kept saying "Can we go dig more holes, can we go dig more holes?" we staggered back down the prickle infested hill and searched for more spaces that hadn't been planted. This is not so easy when you are looking out for six inch seedlings in knee-deep vegetation. We continued planting in full sun and began to regret the lovely hot day.
Eventually word came that the trucks would be leaving soon. We rushed to plant the seedlings we still had left so we wouldn't have to carry them back up the hill. We staggered up that steep and unrelenting hill to find that the first convoy of trucks had left already, so we started walking again (a bit slower this time). When the nice trucks came back they picked up the walkers first to take us for BBQed sausages and hot drinks. All too soon we were walking the last little way to the ferry. We are now writing this on the ferry on the way home.
Camel, RoseRed, Busby and AG.
