Southern View: July 01, 2021

SOUTHERN VIEW Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Thursday July 1 2021 3
Couple rescue Heathcote from weeds
EAGER TO be “part of the
solution” and not simply
onlookers, Gen and Malcolm
Long have dug deep to rescue
reserves and tracks from
smothering weeds along the
Heathcote River.
The busy couple, who are part
of the volunteer army working
with city council staff to keep
parks, reserves, paths and tracks
beautiful, were highlighted
during National Volunteer Week.
They became involved after
being impressed when a “dark,
sinister, overgrown track” near
the Woolston Cut was turned
into a “lovely” path several years
ago – thanks to a group of hardworking
volunteers.
Seeing a simple sign nearby
seeking volunteers, they quickly
joined the Laura Kent Reserve
work group – “now a collection
of like-minded friends who enjoy
the monthly catch-up and also
socialise.”
Walking in the other direction
one day towards Farnley Reserve
in Beckenham, they found
COMMUNITY: Gen and Malcolm
Long (left) are part of a group of
volunteers clearing weeds from
the reserves and tracks along the
Heathcote River.
PHOTOS: NEWSLINE
“tradescantia creeping over
all the surfaces, convolvulus
smothering smaller shrubs” and
a proliferation of other weeds.
“We had just become involved
with the Ōpāwaho-Heathcote
River Network and Gen was
tasked with co-ordinating
community groups working
along the river to celebrate World
Rivers Day,” Malcolm said.
Concerned that nothing would
happen at Farnley Reserve unless
someone stepped forward, they
“decided to create a public work
day on World Rivers Day.”
Malcolm said more than 50
people turned up to “attack
the weeds.” Now the Friends
of Farnley Reserve group
gathers every month, sharing
in their “pride as the reserve
starts looking better and the
compliments of passers-by flow.”
Gen, 63, an itinerant teacher
of music, and Malcolm, 66, a
retired teacher and education
administrator, oversee the
Friends of Farnley, keeping
members up to date, notifying
the public of work in the
area, engaging with the local
community and liaising with the
city council’s urban park ranger
to organise workdays.
They devote several hours each
month to their volunteer work,
but find “pleasure in seeing
the river being respected” and
satisfaction through restoration
and regeneration. They are
personally “happier and more
satisfied for being involved” in
protecting a special space and
urge others to join in.
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