The Hāwea Community Association is a community-based incorporated society, established to promote the interests, needs, and well-being of our Hāwea community and the surrounding environment. The association has a variety of sub-committees, including foreshore re-vegetation and beautification of the Hāwea Lakefront, Guardians of Lake Hāwea, and recreational play space development.

Otago Community Trust was pleased to approve a $7,400 grant in December 2021, to support an initiative of the 'Foreshore Working Group' and Guardians of Lake Hāwea (GLH) to re-vegetate, with locally sourced native plants, a part of 'Rowley Bay' on Lake Hāwea's southern foreshore. The initiative was specifically focused on enhancing Lake Hāwea’s riparian zone. Riparian zones provide crucial buffers between land and water.

Rowley Bay is on the popular Gladstone Track. The Gladstone Track runs along the shores of Lake Hāwea, from the dam on the west side all the way to Johns Creek. The track has increasingly become a very popular walking and cycling route along the southern foreshore of Lake Hāwea. It is estimated that on pleasant weather days, an average of 100 people use this track.

The committee wished for users of the track to have an enhanced experience. It was highlighted that currently, the public cycles beside a lot of gorse, buddleia, and briar. However, the planting of native plants will not only be more visually attractive for track users, but it will also encourage native bird life (e.g., Tūī and Bellbird), which will add to the experience.

It was great to read in the accountability report that eight working bees were undertaken, which involved the clearing of unwanted species and planting of 400 native plants. An average of 9 volunteers attended each working bee, resulting in 138 person-hours committed. 

The comments the Guardians of Lake Hāwea are consistently receiving within the community have been positive.

"The positive comments from users of the Gladstone Track illustrate that the community appreciates what we are doing to enhance the area. The clearance of pest plant species and planting of indigenous native plants also serves as educational and raises awareness of the need to enhance the indigenous biodiversity of the area."