Claire Solomon

Yes, volunteering IS glamorous !!

Conservation work on Motutapu Island gives Claire a sense of achievement - and a sanctuary to escape to.

Claire has been volunteering with us since November 2008. Next Magazine recently ran an article about her activities with us on the island as part of their 'Living Simply' series. We are delighted that Next are happy for us to use some of their material for our 'Volunteer of the Month' series.

Conserve what we have

After a week indoors as the University of Auckland advertising and promotions manager, Claire Solomon is itching to give her green fingers a workout. And she does: Not in her
own backyard but in Auckland's.Out in the Hauraki Gulf, next to younger cousin Rangitoto, Motutapu ( sacred ) Island is slowly reclaiming its natural landscape, with a little help from its friends. Working with DoC, the Motutapu Restoration Trust has over the past 15 years (among other achievements) planted more than 400,000 native trees and plants, built a nursery to raise seedlings, controlled pests, collected seeds and cleared thousands of weeds. It's an unremitting task and someone's got to do the dirty work.

After returning from overseas and "looking to do something meaningful", Claire signed up as a volunteer in November. One of the much needed workers on Motutapu's public volunteer days (every first, third and fifth Sunday), Claire trades a lazy Sunday at home in Remuera for some hard graft on Motutapu at least once a month. She was there a lot over the summer, mainly tending seedlings. "That's my favourite bit."

Marrying her love of gardening and interest in conservation, the work gives Claire a sense of achievement and contribution to the world. "It's a big task we've been set, but you can already see the benefits out there."

Here you can see Claire getting her first taste of winter planting; other seasons are reserved for nursery work and weeding. As well as meeting new people, Claire enjoys escaping for a day. " Motutapu is close to the city but it's like you're in a different world. It helps me see the bigger picture..."

Special thanks to writer Sarah Lang and photographers Nicola Edmonds and Tony Nyberg.

p.s....
Yes, we believe volunteering on Motutapu and creating a sanctuary for some of New Zealand's best loved endangered species is certainly glamorous and we absolutely agree that Claire looks gorgeous; however, our recommendations on what clothing the rest of us should wear when we come out to work the island can be found here