A rare opportunity to visit a scientific Tamahere bush reserve is being offered this Sunday.

Whewells Bush Scientific Reserve is an 11ha, kahikatea stand that is normally accessible by permit only.

This Sunday, July 1, the Tamahere Plant Nursery and Gully Care Group has been permitted to visit the reserve, partly to look at the trees but also to assist the Whewells Bush Volunteer group with bagging tradescantia and loading it into a bin that they have available for the weekend.

The volunteers are a small group so the extra hands will make all the difference to getting the job done, says organiser Jan Simmons. “Take your gardening gloves,” she advises.

The reserve can be accessed from Swallow Lane, which is a short no-exit road off Tauwhare Road between Bruntwood and Lee Martin Roads. Park on the roadside beside the bridge.

Endeavour to be at the entrance around 1.20pm as departure from the bridge will be at 1.30pm. Latecomers will find it difficult to locate the rest of the group, which will be walking through to the far side of the reserve. A number of drains through the reserve will need to be crossed either by jumping or going down through them. Gumboots will be wise given the current weather.

Tamahere has an active gully care group and a community native plant nursery offering low cost plants to locals. The nursery is open on the first Sunday of the month, 1.30pm to 3.30pm, on Devine Road, behind the Tamahere Community Centre, or visits like this month’s are planned instead. Reminders of upcoming days and invitations to go along to them are posted on the Tamahere Forum.