A volunteer group working to restore the Waiewe Reserve has marked a milestone with the recent erection of two signs in the reserve.

The Waiewe Reserve Restoration Group began the project in November 2008 by clearing the lower part of the Reserve.

Left to right, Brian and Pam Yardley and Jacqui Hughes of the Waiewe Reserve Restoration Group, Robert Haycock and Sam McNeil of Law Creative Group, who produced the signs, and Coral Hair and Casey Box of the Whakatane District Council.

With ongoing support from Forest and Bird, the Whakatane Community Board, Whakatane District Council and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, as well as Department of Corrections labour, the group has now removed many non-native plant species and is completing a replanting programme throughout the upper Reserve as well.

Restoration Group spokesperson Annette Such says the new signs will assist visitors in navigating the Reserve.

'Our volunteers have put a great deal of time and effort into the Reserve and it is great to see that it is starting to take shape,” she says.

'We still have a lot of work to do in the areas we have planted as the weeds are growing rapidly! We will be holding working bees in February and also hope to hold a community event in March to highlight the project and outline ideas on what else may be done. And of course we'd like to attract more volunteers for the project. '

The signs were funded by the Whakatane Community Board, and board chairman Mike Naude says they are delighted to have contributed to the project.

'The volunteers have worked hard to transform the area and the Waiewe Reserve now provides a pedestrian and ecological connection from the Mokorua Gorge Reserve and suburb to the CBD and Whakatane River.”

Anyone interested in participating in the Restoration Group's activities should contact Annette Such at redruth16@xtra.co.nz