Volunteering
We'd love some more help clearing Old Man's Beard. Whether it's in your section, your neighbour's, your local road reserve or park, every bit helps!
Join our Facebook community group to see upcoming events, or sign up below and we'll be in touch.
Wellington has a bunch of active community-based pest plant control groups. Some of these will be hitting Old Man's Beard, as well as other nasties. But if no one's doing it in your area, or you'd prefer to work alone, or in your own new group, check out the advice below.
Meet some others doing the mahi
Jim Mitford-Taylor
" Ngā kaimanaaki o te Waimapihi / Polhill Protectors is a community led conservation group working to restore Waimapihi / Polhill Reserve through predator trapping, enhancement planting of native emergent trees, and more recently, focused weeding workshops.
"Invasive vines are weeds which pose an incredible threat to this 75 hectare bush reserve, with Clematis Vitalba - Old Man's Beard being one of the top contenders for our eradication efforts. Through weekend working bees and weeding workshops, we have been able to spread community awareness and increase the effectiveness of our weeding work.
"It's a great way to get community members out in the bush, get their hands dirty, learn new things, and connect with the whenua.
We are striving to protect this special place and keep the ngahere free from these harmful plants."
Nicole Benkert
"Being in the New Zealand bush is incredibly special. It provides me with a sense of peace, joy and gratitude. More than that, it helps alleviate severe headaches that I've been suffering from since surgery in 2016.
This is how I got involved in native forest restoration work through the Tanera Gully Restoration Project. Having learned about and dealt to the weeds threatening our native bush over a number of years now, I feel almost personally offended when I see a weed suffocating a native plant. Top of my list of baddies are: OMB, blackberries, honeysuckle and ivy, and agapanthus.
My partner and I have dealt with these weeds on our section and we are now assisting our neighbours with clearing theirs.
I'm keen to help the OMB Must Go crew when I can."
Nigel Charman
Having cleared most of the old man's beard on his home turf at Tanera Park and Gully, Nigel was keen to extend the group's efforts beyond their border. Along with AJ, he formed Old Man's Beard Must Go - Aro Valley to tackle surrounding areas, help other groups get started with OMB eradication, and canvass local government for increased action on pest plant control.
"I find it really rewarding to be amongst ngā manu, our native birds, knowing that we're restoring their habitat and food sources with native bush regeneration on sites that were once smothered by old man's beard."