Support for Gisborne conservation work

  • Maggie Barry
  • Nicky Wagner
Conservation

Four ambitious conservation projects in Gisborne have received $78,000 in support from the DOC Community Fund, Conservation Ministers Maggie Barry and Nicky Wagner have announced.

The projects range from weed eradication on Gisborne’s Titirangi Maunga to protecting wild kiwi in Maungataniwha and represent the best of community conservation, the Ministers say.

“Each of the groups is helping wage the War on Weeds and protect native species from introduced predators and invasive plants,” Ms Barry says.

“If we are going to ACHIEVE OUR Predator Free VISION by 2050, supporting community conservation work of this kind is absolutely vital. We need the whole country to get behind the effort and it’s excellent to see so much going on at a local level.

“Supporting wild populations of kiwi such as at Maungataniwha is also a key focus of our plan to have 100,000 wild kiwi by 2030 released in October.”

Minister Wagner met with representatives of the four groups on a visit to Gisborne today.

“There are four fantastic projects ranging from predator control to biodiversity projects and will provide a great boost to Gisborne’s conservation efforts.

“I was very impressed by the ambitious ideas, level of community engagement and know-how shown by the four recipients. I look forward to seeing how their projects develop in the next few years,” Ms Wagner says.

The four groups are:

  • Nga Uri o Te Kooti Rikirangi Settlement Trust - $30,000 to support the Matuku Enhancement Habitat Project at Matawhero – wetland restoration through weed and predator control designed to expand habitat for the Nationally Critical matuku/bittern.
  • Te Poho o Rawiri Marae Committee - $20,000 for weed eradication at Titirangi Maunga in Gisborne as part of ongoing restoration work between the District Council and Ngati Oneone
  • Forest Lifeforce Restoration Trust - $18,000 to expand predator trapping at Maungataniwha to protect a wild population of kiwi and enable it to increase.
  • Paikea-Whitireia Trust - $10,000 for the Pukehāpopō Re-Vegetation and Biodiversity Enhancement Project

In total, the DOC Community Fund will distribute more than $4 million in 2016-17 to organisations ranging from small community groups working across a single site to national partnerships.