Pollinator Paths - A Beginning in Hakanoa Reserve

It has always seemed to be the privilege of the older amongst us to criticise the next generation as lazy, uninterested in politics, prone to alcohol or drug abuse, selfish and consumerist.

The first was Chloe Swarbrick who stirred up the Auckland mayoralty vote, and came in an astonishing third after Goff and Crone, beating twice candidate Palino, keen aspirant Thomas, along with 14 or 15 others. Her future is assured.

And now along comes another young woman with a vision, Andrea Reid. Andrea Reid, 24, is a graduate Landscape Architect in her first job with multi-national AECOM. She wrote her thesis at Unitec on Pollinator Paths, and her tutors were so impressed they almost insisted that she persuade local politicians to put her ideas into practice.

What are Pollinator Paths? This is a new movement that aims to connect Auckland’s parks and reserves to make pollination pathways. These pathways will help bring crucial pollinators into urban areas to enable the growing urban food network to thrive. The first pathway has been created in Hakanoa Reserve, Grey Lynn.

Now, thanks to the foresight of Andrea Reid, and some financial support from the Waitemata Local Board, bees will be supported all year round.

As Andrea told Ponsonby News, “Honey bees have a critically important role in New Zealand’s biodiversity and economy.”

Discussing how the Pollinator Paths concept arose, Reid explained. “We are lucky to live in one of the greenest countries in the world,” she said. “What we need now is the right kind of green, the kind of green that feeds and shelters our birds, bees and lesser known pollinating insects.”

Local volunteers have helped Andrea to create special ‘apartments’ using masonry bricks. Materials like sticks, stones, straw, moss, pine-cones, ceramic pipe, clay, sand, wood and cut bamboo may seem like junk to us but they make five-star accommodation in the pollinator world.

Residents of Hakanoa Reserve include bees; from regular honey bees to quirky leafcutter bees that cut and carry little pieces of leaf to make nests, as well as birds, lizards and butterflies.

In her thesis, Andrea Reid asked how Auckland could better use so much under-utilised space. For example, the corners of car parks and street berms could feature blooming wild flowers and become a pollinator’s delight. Andrea will talk further to locals around Grey Lynn so the Paths can be extended, hopefully all the way to Pt Chevalier.

The project has sought to involve schools, and seeks to educate everyone in what plants to grow to encourage bees and other pollinators to their gardens.

“New Zealand’s bee populations support about one-third of everything we eat through their pollination, and contribute around $5 billion to the economy annually,” Reid told us. She adds, “Bees often get all the credit for being pollinator powerhouses, meaning that others get overlooked. Any animal or insect with the ability to spread pollen from flower to flower is a pollinator.”

Andrea Reid has a dream to create a network of pollinator paths across Auckland, and she has certainly, with the help of the Local Board and local resident volunteers, made a great start.

Don’t tell this enterprising young woman that the young can’t be influential citizens, helping to create a more liveable Auckland city.

Like Chloe Swarbrick, Andrea Reid knows that 24 is only a number, nothing that will stop her realising her valuable environmental dream.

Perhaps at the next election, Andrea might lead a team with the slogan “Out with the old and in with the new.” She brings a refreshing breathe of fresh air to our neighbourhood, which hopefully will inspire other young people to follow their dreams.

I’ll vote for you Andrea. (JOHN ELLIOTT)

www.pollinatorpaths.com