Arriving at Shakespear lots of cars already there in the tree planters zone, even through we were quite early.  Once we'd been checked in and signed off the pre-registered list, we head over to the shoe dipping station and to our planting zone up the hill and back down into the gully. It was a bit of an adventure getting to the planting site, up over a large temporary turnstile and along temporary boardwalks over the reeds in the wetland and up the hill to the planting site!   This adventurous entry due to where BBQ tents were set up, in the shelter on the flat away from the forecasted weather, that thankfully we were graced with sun and a clear day, bar a couple of brief raindrops!  Super lucky!

The angle of the photo doesn't show how steep this tree planting site at Shakespear Regional Park actually was.  Being good trampers, we headed straight up to the top of the hill with our spades.

4.5k trees planted in about 2 hours, just over 200 people. So many trees planted, they'd only expected to get just under 3k trees planted, but we busted through the ceiling in tree planting efficiency!  I know our group got a very serious number of trees planted between our NSTC team!   Well done!!!!   Lots of people from the community as well,  with lots of kids with their parents learning what it's all about.

Then of course we went for a couple of hours tramp around this spectacular park. Spotting all sorts of awesome native birds and a Kohekohe tree in full flower. They're a bit unique as they flower mostly on the stem of the tree, not at ends of branches like most trees. Another absolutely epic day out with the North Shore Tramping Club.  Walked away feeling very satisfied that we'd done something so good for the environment, the community, and the gorgeous native wildlife and birds that inhabit these gullies. Cheers, Imogen