Maiki Hill Cleanup
The Maiki Hill cleanup consisted of gorse and rubbish removal, picnic area refurbishment, repairing and upgrading the lookout platform, and waterblasting and painting the staircase and railings. The team wanted to spruce up the hill in honor of its history and its prime location as a viewpoint and picnic area.
While volunteers wondered how to approach the gorse problem, the Department of Corrections Kaikohe was looking for community service projects. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. It took community service teams of up to 6 people, supported by local volunteers driving the gorse getaway truck, nearly 10 days to remove the majority of gorse and non-native overgrowth from the hill.
In July a building sprint was organized. Weather-beaten seat and table tops were replaced with new lumber, and the hazardous railing around the lookout platform was renewed and fortified.
During August a team laid a foundation of topsoil along the hilltop’s potentially hazardous cliffs and small hedge trees were planted in that soil. This ensured that planting could happen yet the ground would not be disturbed, a measure in keeping with the site’s historic and archaeological significance. As a safety precaution, signs indicating the cliff’s edge were placed in full view.
Plans to revegetate the north side of the hill are underway. A native grass seed mix will be sprayed onto the hill and fingers are crossed that the weather will cooperate and the seed will take.
