Author: laeadmin01

Lae, Morobe Province, PNG, 23^rd October, 2015 – that will help to restore the gardens to their former glory and transform the Northern precinct into an incredible botanical experience for visitors; with the beauty and diversity of PNG culture and plant life at its heart.

These designs were made possible by a generous donation from Swire Shipping who have long supported the Program. PNG’s Forest Research Institute in partnership with Friends of the Lae Botanic Gardens are now calling out to all major sponsors to help enable each garden design become a reality.

Working together as a community to bring these designs to life will put the Lae Botanic Gardens back on the map as one of PNG’s top tourist destinations and may well reinstate Lae as the beautiful ‘Garden City’ of PNG.

Engaged by Swire Shipping, award winning Cairns-based Garden City Design Co. were responsible for these garden creations. Already familiar with Lae having worked on the beautiful Lae War Cemetery that neighbours the Gardens, the design concepts incorporated feedback from key stakeholders and showcased much of PNG’s spectacular and diverse flora, adding significant educational, recreational and tourist appeal to the gardens.

The designs include a Heliconia Garden, Ginger Garden, Food, Fibre and Health Garden and Foliage Garden spread throughout the Northern section and connected via pathways with archways and creeping plants that meander around existing picnic areas, mumu pits, the creek, staircase and islands. There is even a fun design for a children’s maze to complement the existing BSP playground area. The designs offer a glimpse of a natural wonderland full of colour, texture and structure that would take the visitor on a journey through PNG’s unique and complex environment.

Key supporters and stakeholders of the Lae Botanic Gardens met today to see the designs revealed, Graeme Davis from Swire Shipping remarked ‘it is a proud moment to see these designs presented today. Swire Shipping is committed to a better future for the gardens so that they again become an important part of the Lae community, and a significant achievement for PNG. These designs give us all an enticing preview of the potential that Swire has always seen in the gardens and we hope other businesses will show their support by helping the Forest Research Institute build them.’

The National Botanic Gardens Advancement Program is inviting businesses to come on board to help create these gardens with naming rights for each garden forming part of each sponsorship package. Dr. Martin Golman, Acting Director of the PNG Forest Research Institute stated ‘we will need help to make these gardens a reality, these designs offer a new level of sophistication for the National Botanic Gardens and we are so excited to get to this stage with the help of Swire Shipping. I urge businesses and organisations to view the plans so you can see for yourself how transformative they could be; it would be a wonderful gift to future generations, our city and visitors to have them built.’

The Lae community will have an opportunity to see the garden design concepts and all the progress that has been made in the gardens when we open the gardens to the public for our upcoming Open Day on Friday 6^th November. All are welcome with free entry between 1pm and 4pm.

 

 

Lae, Morobe Province, PNG, 12^th October, 2015 – Over the first two weekends of October, the Lae Botanic Gardens have been given a mighty makeover thanks to the hard work of more than 320 Laga Industries employees who have spent their past two Saturdays working throughout the gardens in small teams to help prepare the them for opening. Working with PNG’s Forest Research Institute and Friends of the Lae Botanic Gardens team, Gala Ice Cream workers have helped lean the RAAF DC- 3 Plane, existing BBQ facilities, the central creek bed as well as general cleaning up and preparing new public garden beds for each picnic area.

Joining many corporate supporters of the National Botanic Gardens (Lae) Advancement Program, Laga Industries have come on board as a strong supporter just at the right time, as the gardens gear up to host an open day for the public, scheduled for early November. Despite the heavy rain on Saturday 3 October, Laga Industries employees were out in force, working in teams and dedicating their energy to getting the gardens cleaned up and ready for the community to view.

The following Saturday, 10 October, the gardens hosted a steadfast group of approximately 20 volunteers from Laga Industries who spent a sunny afternoon washing down the treasured RAAF DC-3 plane. With expert restoration advice from Unitech’s Vincent Koddy and equipment jointly supplied by Laga Industries and PNG’s Forest Research Institute. The transformation of the RAAF DC-3 was dramatic and she now shines brighter than she has in many years.

Pauline Peleli who volunteered her time to clean the plane remembers visiting the gardens in her teens, ‘I haven’t been able to enter the gardens for decades! I have such fond memories of time spent here when I was younger. It is such a peaceful and beautiful place to spend time and connect with nature, it really means a lot to be here again, I am proud to be able to help get the gardens back in shape for future generations.’

Karen Yendetuo, HR Manager at Laga Industries stated, ‘we were immediately interested in supporting the Gardens Advancement Program when we heard about it and to see our employees get involved with such enthusiasm has been a wonderful team building experience! Gala has a long history of supporting our communities and we know these gardens will provide such an important place for the people of Lae – including our employees and their families – to gather.’

Dr. Martin Golman, Acting Director of the PNG Forest Research Institute stated, ‘Gala Ice Cream’s assistance here in the gardens has achieved some incredible results and is a great example of a local business supporting its local community. We are so lucky to have their support and would like to thank them and the efforts of their hard working employees. We extend our appeal to other organisations and business houses who would like to lend a helping hand so we can all enjoy this magnificent natural environment in the heart of Lae.’

Laga Industries is one of Papua New Guinea’s leading food manufacturers, producing popular brands such as Gala Ice Cream, Highland Meadows Vegetable Oil and Tradewinds. Laga Industies prides itself on developing a strong workforce and supporting communities and organisations throughout PNG that are helping to build a prosperous nation. Learn more: http://www.lagaindustries.com.pg/

 

 

Lae, Morobe Province, PNG, 24^th September, 2015 – The Lae Botanic Gardens are abuzz with activity the likes of which the gardens haven’t seen in years. Dekenai Constructions Ltd. have come on board as a major sponsor of the Advancement Program and have wasted no time in supplying machinery, workers and engineering expertise to regrade all the roads within the gardens, create new car park areas and lend a helping hand with rubbish and wood removal, drainage, clearing waterways and much more.

The work has been undertaken over the last two weeks and is currently continuing intermittently in many areas within the gardens. Dekenai have provided labour with 10 employees, and several machines including a grader, tipper trucks, backhoe and roller to improve the road network and create more space for vehicles to park and drive once the gardens reopen. Prior to Dekenai’s input, some roads were unusable due to degradation and potholes, and areas for parking were overgrown. Now, with their support and expertise, the gardens have space for approximately 50+ cars, the roads have been levelled, widened and in some cases cleared so as to be usable again. Having heavy machinery in the gardens has also meant Dekenai have been able to assist in clearing garden rubbish, widen and clean up the overgrown waterways and transport gravel and dirt to areas in need.

Delilah Yagama, the Lae Senior Projects Engineer with Dekenai Constructions Ltd. has been overseeing the work in the gardens and is happy with the progress made, ‘Dekenai have been working in Lae for the last 7 years and it really motivates us to be able to give something back to the Lae community. The guys really enjoy working here and I love coming to visit, it is a peaceful and beautiful place to work, so we want the rest of the community to be able to enjoy it as well.’

Dekenai will also assist in the much-needed upgrading of a bridge within the gardens and have pledged to do what they can to continue assisting the Advancement Program. As Dave Howell, Dekenai’s regional manager said, ‘Dekenai’s founders have a long history of working in PNG and it is very much part of our company mission and values to support the communities in which we work as much as we can.’

Dr. Martin Golman, Acting Director of the PNG Forest Research Institute has been overwhelmed by the assistance stating, ‘the change in the gardens in just two short weeks is incredible. Dekenai have not only fixed areas that have long needed fixing, but also improved them to ensure the gardens will function better than ever when reopened. Their generosity of providing time, expertise and labour to the progression of the Advancement Program has gone a long way in restoring the gardens to their former glory. Our team are more inspired than ever to get these gardens opened, as we can’t wait for people to see the improvements. Our heartfelt thanks to Dekenai for their continued support.’

Dekenai Constructions Ltd. is a civil engineering contractor with vast experience in carrying out civil works in Papua New Guinea. Since its incorporation in 1995, Dekenai Constructions Limited has built and maintained its reputation as a major Civil Engineering Contractor, specialising in the construction of roads, bridges, drainage structures, pavement and sealing works. For more information see http://www.dekenai.com.pg/.