New life for Whanganui Museum Botanical Group

Colin Ogle is dwarfed by the exotic reed grass Phragmites karka on the true left of the Whangaehu River, upstream from the lagoon.

Since emerging from six months of recess, Whanganui Museum Botanical Group's activities have become more vibrant with the addition of a couple of new trip leaders, new members and a Facebook page.

A field trip is organised each month. The April one was to a private property at Parikino.

The 21 participants, including the landowners, enjoyed exploring an 8ha section of bush which had been fenced off in 2011.

The group had botanised there just after the fence went up and few ground-cover plants were found under the kahikatea canopy. Twelve years later there was a dense understorey of native shrubs above head height.

"We succeeded in adding several new species to the plant list," says ecologist Colin Ogle.

Remarkably, there were no woody weeds in that bushy area.

On May 23 the group checked out a tall pest grass called Phragmites karka on the lower reaches of the Whangaehu River.

"This invasive grass, which was only identified in New Zealand in 2006, has now been found on numerous riverbanks in the Rangitikei and Manawatū catchments as well as in Auckland," says Colin.

Birds Whanganui members are also invited on these field trips. Photos are shared afterwards.

Members of WMBG stop for lunch at the Whangaehu estuary on May 23. Photo / Margie Chiet

During winter, outings take place in Whanganui on sunny weekend afternoons. At other times of the year, longer trips further afield are offered.

The group ventures to South Taranaki, Rangitikei district, the Manawatū as well as Kāpiti Coast, sometimes joining Wellington Botanical Society on their field trips.

Evening meetings are held every two months in different members' homes by rotation. These are informal gatherings where members share photos, specimens and information about all kinds of plants, including weeds. Supper is provided.

"The meetings are educational and a lot of fun," says secretary Margi Keys.

WMBG also offers speakers at Nature Talks, held in the David Theatre on the third Tuesday evening in even-numbered months. For more information, contact wbotgp@gmail.com.