FuturEcology & EmGuard ™ February 2025
By Jan Fryer
Welcome to our first newsletter for 2025. We hope you had some time to relax and recharge over the Christmas/New Year period and are ready for a big year of projects and adventures.
I still clearly remember New Years Eve 2000, partying at our neighbours in the pouring rain with 6 month old Emma, and now she is getting married next month. I can’t believe how fast a quarter of a century has flown by.
Last newsletter, I mentioned reading the book Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari. I managed to finish it during the Christmas period. What a sobering read. The last section looks at science, with his opinion being that science has made us (humans) deadly. The speed at which we are changing the natural order of nature is quite horrifying. It would be very easy to believe we are doomed but I also read a book called Humankind (Rutger Bregman) a few years ago. He was more focused on a hopeful history, so that’s where I would like to put my energy.
I personally think that it is far too easy to focus on the negative: the lack of funding for conservation and restoration, political attitudes to the bio-diversity crisis, climate change, uncertainty about the future and on it goes. However, let us instead focus on the present and how we as individuals can make a positive impact in our family, our community and on the future. I was very interested to read in the Sapiens book about the loss of community and the rise of individualism. The ability to work as a connected community was what gave Homo sapiens the advantage over other species and saw us dominate the planet.
So, here’s the challenge for 2025. In memory of Senior Sargent Lyn Fleming, who was tragically killed on New Years Day in Nelson, let’s connect as individuals, foster communities who care about their community, the environment and the future and then just get on with it. We don’t have time to wait for the state to do it, the right funding to fall out of the sky or the right conditions. Go and talk to your neighbours, pot up some of those natives that are springing up in the garden, grow them on, plant them in a poor neglected bit of your local neighbourhood and get together with like-minded people to explore what sort of things provide us with hope and pride in our future.
If you have the time and energy, make sure you participate in consultation processes such at the government’s consultation on proposals to modernise New Zealand’s conservation management system. This is looking at how to protect relevant natural areas while at the same time supporting sustainable growth in tourism and regional economies. The Department has released two consultation documents for public consultation, which are available on the Department of Conservation website and close in late February.
2024 consultations: Have your say
There will be challenges for sure in the field we work in at FuturEcology in 2025. However, we are busy focusing on the positives and on working with a great group of customers who also have hope for the future. Planting trees is definitely believing in tomorrow.
Farewelling Desiah
By Desiah Neho
As January ends, it will be the beginning of my next journey, as I will be making the move over the ditch to sunny Australia. I am sad that my time at FuturEcology will be ending, but I'm excited for the next steps. I joined FuturEcology during the 2021 planting season during my first year out of school-and I loved it. The team was amazing. I was working in some nice places, with lots of laughs and it felt so good at the end of the day knowing that I was doing my part to make New Zealand just that tiny bit better. Some days were really hard and I wanted to give it up. There was even a time when we were planting, but the ground was so hard and compact that we should've just used pickaxes. But as the day ended, I'd always think. “Hmmm. This ain’t so bad after all”
Fast forward to 2022, when Rob and Jan offered me an apprenticeship in Amenity Horticulture and a full-time position, and I was quick to snatch that opportunity. Times were tough at some points and it took a while, but I got there in the end. I am lucky that I worked with some knowledgeable people who were good at helping me when I was really stuck and down. I will really miss some of our big projects, such as Challies & Motueka wetland restoration, Mahitahi & Codgers plantings, and most importantly, the restoration of Wakapuaka River. I slowly watched the Mauri revive in these. From the birds to the insects, to the native seedlings, all this life force was slowly coming back piece by piece and I think that’s the most satisfying part about this job.
I'm not too sure what I will be doing in Australia, that box is unticked for now, but maybe something where not so many snakes and spiders are spending time together...
I feel like a different person, compared to who I was 4 years ago, particularly because of this job. It has really helped shape my life for the good and I will be forever thankful to Rob and Jan for all the opportunities given to me during my time here and for helping me grow into a better person. Rob always says “We don't grow just trees, but people too” and now I know what he means by that. Big thanks to the team for all the knowledge, laughs and memories we’ve shared over the last 4 years, I couldn't have asked for better bunch to spend it with.
Desiah’s time at FuturEcology
By Rob Fryer
It is with more than just a little sadness that we farewell Desiah on the next step of his journey. I know I speak for all of us here at FuturEcology when I say that we will all miss having him around. We have all been part of Desiah's journey and feel privileged to have shared that with him.
I often said that Desiah will be my last apprentice and we could not have made a better choice. I know that in the future, probably long after I have stopped planting trees, Desiah will be sharing his knowledge and mentoring other young and eager trainees.
It has given me great pleasure to hear from others how about knowledgeable Desiah is and his real passion for the natural environment.
It is so nice to see Desiah stretching his wings and seeking new opportunities further afield. I am confident that he will be back, even just to visit, as he has invested so much of himself in our work and on our clients’ projects.
Kia Kaha Desiah, you will always have a place here at FuturEcology.
A selection of Desiah’s favourite pictures and jobs he has worked on.
Tree of the Month
Metrosideros diffusa – white rātā
By Evelyn Nashiro
Metrosideros diffusa climbs to 6m tall and has small shiny leaves up to 2cm or more. The leaves are mostly rounded at the tip. Flowering is from mid-spring to early summer, with white or pale pink flowers.
Metrosideros diffusa is one of a number of New Zealand’s Metrosideros species which live out their lives as vines, unlike the northern rātā (M.robusta), which generally grows into a huge tree.
White rātā is the most common climbing rātā in the wild, found naturally in lowland forests throughout the North Island, South Island and Stewart Island/Rakiura.
The white rata are flowering magnificently at the moment, so keep an eye out for them in your travels.
Weed of the Month
Daucus carota – Queen Anne’s Lace or Carrot Weed
By Jan Fryer
This plant is prevalent at this time of year, particularly in restoration sites. It is a biennial plant, often confused with poison hemlock. It is native to Europe, Asia and North Africa.
It has fern like leaves and small white flowers arranged in umbels (stalks on the individual flowers looking somewhat like the spokes of an umbrella). Individual flowers are up to 7mm in diameter and the whole umbel is up to 12cm in diameter. The flower has a ring of green small narrow leaves with linear segments just under the umbel. It flowers between August and May.
When the leaves are crushed, they have a distinctive carroty smell. It has a long slender white taproot, so is difficult to pull out manually.
The fruits are spiny and can cling to clothing, which allows it to spread. The seeds are dormant when fresh however, and it must experience a period of “after ripening” before it can germinate. It can then germinate at any time of year, providing soil moisture is adequate. It is often abundant in dry, open areas.
It can cause skin irritation, especially if you come into contact with the sap.
In terms of impact on a planting, it is mainly aesthetic. It will eventually be shaded out by the canopy cover.
Control can be done with Glyphosate 1%, especially on young plants.
State of the nation update
By Jan Fryer
Although our permanent workforce has shrunk a little over the last month or so with Shaun and now Desiah leaving to see what other parts of the world are doing, we have a great working relationship with a local recruitment agency Tech 5. They have provided us with some really great team members in the last few months and are very supportive of what we do and why we do it. They have really understood our needs and this has shown in the staff they have found for us.
Noah Hammond and Elliot Humphreys, who are here from Britain on working holidays, have joined us to pick up some great conservation skills and also see a good bit of New Zealand along the way. Noah hails from Yorkshire and Elliott from Devonshire. They have both really enjoyed learning about New Zealand native plants and seeing our wonderful countryside, especially the mountains and beaches. Each of them has shown a real passion for what they have been working on with us. They have mined both Desiah and Dan for information on plant names, how we get the right plant in the right place and why we do things the way we do at FuturEcology.
It’s so good for us to see passionate young people, who show a real interest in the environment and want to contribute to improving environmental outcomes for the future.
EmGuard Update
By Emma Fryer
We’re hitting the ground running with EmGuard, and we have plenty in stock!
If you’re gearing up for your next planting project, we’d love to hear from you. Trusted by contractors, EmGuard remains the top choice for quality plant protection.
Get in touch today to secure your supply!
Interesting Snippets
We have been experimenting with using sheep in a very controlled experiment in our 2-3 year old plantings to deal particularly with convolvulus. This is a very new experiment so we will report more on it next month.
On another note, have any of you been to the Te Henui Cemetery in New Plymouth. A group of volunteers have turned it into a vibrant, charming and gorgeous garden that features an amazing diversity of plants. The best part is that they got the Council to agree to letting them get on and just do it.
What we’ve been reading
By Emma Fryer
The Christmas break was a perfect opportunity to completely switch off and relax. For me, it was a wonderful time filled with family, friends, and great food. The weather wasn’t exactly ideal for spending much time outdoors, so I allowed myself a couple of days to become completely absorbed in the series I’ve been reading for the past little while.
The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley is a captivating fictional series, featuring strong female protagonists who face the sudden loss of their adoptive father, affectionately known as Pa Salt. Raised in a beautiful home by Lake Geneva, the D'Apliése sisters had an idyllic upbringing. Upon their father’s passing, each of them is left with a clue about her heritage. The books follow each sister’s journey as they uncover their past, explore their ancestry, and gain a deeper understanding of themselves.
Lucinda Riley describes the series as “a story about humanity: love, family, joy, loss, fear and pain. And above all, the one gift that is more important than any other and has kept us humans alive throughout unbearable suffering: HOPE.”
Riley set out to capture the tenacity and courage of the generations of women who came before us—those who shaped the world for future generations and granted us the freedom of independent thought.
This series is truly inspiring and immerses you in every possible emotion. The best part? There are eight books, each of a substantial length, so they’ll keep you engaged for a while. I’m only up to book four, and there’s something so wonderful about knowing I still have so much left to discover about the D'Apliése sisters and their unique stories.
What we’ve been eating
Branston Pickle
By Jan Fryer
We were sitting at lunch today with 3 of the English staff, talking about their favourite foods. Proper Cornish Pasties were the thing they missed the most followed a close second by Branston Pickle. This is a staple of British cheese sandwiches, so in a nod to our great British team members, here is the recipe for Branston Pickle.
255 gms carrots, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 medium swede, peeled and cut into small chunks
4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
45 gms dates, finely chopped
1 small cauliflower, finely chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
2 medium apples - leave skin on and chop finely
2 medium finely chopped courgettes- unpeeled
15-20 small gherkins, finely chopped
285 gms dark brown sugar
1 tsp salt
4 tbsps lemon juice
2 cups malt vinegar
2 tsps mustard seeds
2 tsps ground allspice
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring them to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the swede is cooked but still firm (about 2 hours).
Stir well and then bottle in sterilised jars.
(food.com)
Allow the pickle to age for a few weeks for best taste.
Where we’ve been visiting
Over the holiday period, both Jan and Rob, and Cheril and Lindsay spent time visiting the Waiarapa region. What an amazing area! We definitely recommend visiting there and exploring the area. Favourite places include Book town (Featherston), Greytown, Longbush Cottage Garden, Poppies Winery, Olivo, the Tōhi Gin Room & Eatery, and checking out Cape Palliser lighthouse.
Conclusion:
Picture from a wonderful Nelson Anniversary weekend spent at Elaine Bay.
By Emma Fryer
Although it’s been a bit of a rocky start to the year—with my grandmother breaking her hip and spending a couple of weeks navigating the hospital system with her—we’re now back on board and feeling optimistic about the months ahead. With a new product hitting the shelves soon (watch this space!) and exciting opportunities on the horizon for both FuturEcology and EmGuard, it’s shaping up to be a great year. Surely a business trip to America is on the cards, Mum? 😃
Happy Valentine’s Day to all! Here’s your reminder to do whatever makes your partner feel seen, heard, and supported. It doesn’t have to be a commercial holiday—sometimes, the simplest gestures mean the most.
If you have any projects in mind and would like to talk further, give us a call or pop in and see us.
We look forward to hearing from you!