ARTICLE : PRESIDENT’S ANNUAL REPORT

 August 2002 – President’s Annual Report

It has been another busy year for the Society.   I would like to thank all those members who have contributed in so many ways to the running of the Society, as well as contributing towards the study of botany and the protection and management of important botanical features and areas.

Trips

There has been a successful trip programme with good attendances.   Thank you to all the trip leaders for your assistance.

The New Year trip from 27 December ’01 to 8January ’02 in southwest Canterbury, Mount Cook and associated lakes areas was enjoyed by 33 participants.

Speakers

The evening meetings have been characterised by some excellent speakers.   Thank you to all our speakers who took the time to prepare presentations and deliver them to one of the Society's monthly Monday evening meetings, as well as prepare a short summary for the Newsletter.   Thank you to Victoria University for providing the venue.

Awards

Congratulations to Robyn Smith on receiving a Conservation Merit Award for her work on rare and threatened plants.   The Society was nominated for one of these awards.

Display boards

The Society has used grants from the Department of Conservation to buy new display boards and carry-bag, and to develop a new display (photos, captions etc).   Thank you to Barbara Mitcalfe for organising the new display and to those (especially Olaf John) who provided photographs for the display.

Restoration

Society members were involved in many restoration activities.   They included:

• Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Ecological Restoration Network field days (e.g. presenters at the Battle Hill field day)

• Undertaking trials with Wellington Regional Council using native plants instead of willows as part of river management.   This project is located on the lower Hutt River banks.   It provides an opportunity to observe how native plants can be used as part of large-scale flood plain management programmes as well as catchment management generally.

• Various planting programmes around the region, e.g. Titahi Bay, Mana Island, Otari-Wilton's Bush.

• The Te Marua Bush project.

Te Marua Bush

This is a long-standing restoration project of the Society.   There were two workbees this year.   The Wellington Regional Council grant for 2001 – 2003 is being used for plant pest control work (especially Tradescantia), and for paying Upper Hutt Branch of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society for potting mix used in raising seedlings used for the restoration work.

Thank you

Thank you to the committee for all their help during this year.   Thank you especially to Chris Horne for taking on the presidential role from time to time during the year while I was away; to Barbara Clark for managing the secretarial role effectively; to Jane Humble our treasurer; to Julia White for publicising our meetings via her e-mail contact; and Penny Currier for establishing our web site.   Darryl Kee and I will both step down from the committee due to the pressures from other projects / commitments.

Thank you to Barbara Mitcalfe for co-ordinating the Society’s submissions on the many agency plans, policies and activities affecting botanical values.   This is a useful way for the Society to share its expertise with management agencies.   Thank you to Barbara Mitcalfe and Chris Horne for compiling the Newsletter three times a year.   The Newsletter is extremely comprehensive and a credit to the Society.   Thank you to Jeremy Rolfe for formatting the Newsletter and Bulletin and for contributing to the new display board layout; New Zealand Print for their prompt and good quality printing; and the members who help with newsletter distribution.

Finally, thank you to the Department of Conservation Wellington Conservancy for their assistance and in particular for their $1000 donation recognising the Society's contribution to botany especially in the Wellington Region.

Victoria Froude, President