Volunteers muck in to rejuvenate park on Auckland's North Shore

Mucking in has gone to a whole new level at Rosedale Park on Auckland's North Shore.

Not so long ago, the park was neglected and completely overgrown, but the land is in the process of a total transformation — thanks to an army of volunteers with community spirit and vision for the future.

Project lead Nicky Shave, from the North Harbour Hockey Association, says the initiative came about when the North Harbour Hockey Club moved in next door.

“The local iwi Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara said, to look after our people, we need to look after the land as well," she said.

"The five-year restoration project, Te Hōnonga a Iwi Restoration, is a combination of increasing environmental health to increase social equity and individual health. It’s as much about the people as it is about the planet.”

Iwi, Massey University, Settlers Retirement Village, early childhood centres, nine schools and eighteen businesses are involved with the project.

Volunteers, including students, come along and help whenever they can. “It’s awesome to see students outside amongst nature and off screens,” said Shave.

In total, 10,000 square metres will be regenerated, including a stream that runs through the park.

Ten thousand plants are being planted, with 6000 metres of cover crops and 19 tonnes of organic matter and weeds converted to compost.

The park also has chickens, which are vital for natural pest control. Their eggs will go to nearby cafes.

Matt Cummings from Untangled Landscapes said the initial clearance was done by mulching everything down from an area that was essentially a big pile of the weed Elaeagnus.

“It's bigger than just this area, though," Cummings said. "It's about proving the methods that are new and innovative. If we get it right, the rest of New Zealand can learn from it.

"It's an evolution rather than a revolution, so we mow things down to compost so the micro-organisms come in and eat them. Then we turn that into a form which brings new life, which is whatever we want to plant there.

"So, it's a disturbance and then a cultivation of what we want to see.”

No chemicals are being used to rejuvenate the park.

“If we can do it with living methods and by working with nature rather than against it, we can have a better relationship with our land. It's going to be better for everyone," explained Cummings.

An integral part of the project is the social connection that mucking-in provides. Young and old, everyone is part of a shared purpose, said Shave.

Students from Kristin School, Albany, have been busy planting seedlings in small pots for the project. During the school holidays, residents from Settlers Retirement Village pop by to look after the new growth.

It's an inter-generational interaction that Cummings believes is a vital part of the fabric which creates social resilience and healthy communities.

New volunteers are always welcome, said Shave.

“Everyone can unite and create a bit of magic, as well as a legacy for the future and reduce greenhouse gases at the same time."