The Between the Domes Catchment Group celebrated a busy year with a planting day in December and is looking forward to progressing two exciting new projects in 2022.

The Group covers the areas between Mossburn, Five Rivers, Lumsden, Lintley, Castlerock and everywhere else in between.

Almost 250 new native plants are settling into their beds beside the Lumsden Creek after the Between the Domes Catchment Group - Christmas BBQ & Community Planting afternoon on December 3.

About 15 volunteers from Lumsden and the wider northern Southland area got together for the planting afternoon, which was followed by a tasty BBQ to celebrate a busy year for the Group.

Between The Domes Catchment Group co-chair Laurie Selbie putting in the hard work. Photo: Supplied

Between The Domes Catchment Group co-chair Laurie Selbie said the Group was focused on two major projects at the moment - a baleage wrap recovery project and another project scoping all the farms in the upper Oreti in terms of what data exists about respective properties.

The baleage wrap recovery programme was evolving and discussions around whether to make it a pick-up or drop-off service, where the wrap will go, and what it could be used for, were progressing well, he said.

That project is a pilot with Agrecovery, and could be scaled up around the Southland region and wider. The farm scoping project would assist farmers in decision-making around farming improvements and environmental initiatives on their farms, he said.

“We don’t want to be telling farmers what to do. Most farmers have good ideas and just need a little bit of support and direction - the key thing is to find out what is available.”  

Catchment Groups were great because they encouraged people to speak up about their ideas in a safe and supportive environment, Laurie said.

Lumsden resident Daniel Jones, a fellow co-chair of the Between The Domes Catchment Group, is also one of the driving forces behind Reforest Northern Southland, a community nursery and reforestation trust with the aim of bringing native flora and fauna back to the area, for the benefit of the local community and eco-system.

Reforest Northern Southland has been building momentum around projects such as the new community nursery in the main street of Lumsden, which opened earlier this year.

“We have a lot of native plants at the nursery that we can grab for planting days like these,” Daniel said.

The Between The Domes Catchment Group was going well, and the core of the group were continuing to grow membership so more projects could be taken on, he said. 

“The more people that come in and get stuff going the better the vibe and opportunities it brings to the area.”

Five Rivers farmer Karen Humphries was happy to pitch in during the planting afternoon.

“I think it’s great Thriving Southland is really supportive,” she said.

Thriving Southland is a community-led group with a vision to create a prosperous Southland, healthy people, healthy environment from the mountains to the sea. To find out more about Thriving Southland go to www.thrivingsouthland.co.nz