One month left to go!
Dear  Whangawehi supporters,

You probably know that back in June 2015, the Whangawehi catchment Management Groups started, in partnership with the Million Meter Stream Project, a Nation wide crowdfunding campaign to restore water quality and enhance biodiversity values along the Whangawehi river.

Become part of the solution to New Zealand’s water quality challenge by helping to restore the Whangawehi Catchment, on the Mahia Peninsula, Hawke’s Bay.

You can donate to one of our stream restoration projects today at http://millionmetres.org.nz/donate/

The Whangawehi Catchment Management Group (WCMG) was set up in 2011 to look after the freshwaters of the Whangawehi Catchment. Our work aims to improve freshwater quality and enable the return of tuna (eel) and inanga (whitebait) to the area. The waterways of this area are taonga to the people of Mahia Peninsula, they are important sources of mahinga kai, and keeping these waterways clean will keep the ocean clean too.

WCMG has already managed to achieve a lot to restore the health of the waterway – we’ve planted 69 0000 trees since we started in 2011 – but there’s still so much to do.

We are fundraising online now to help with the next stage of the Whangawehi restoration, which includes two stream bank planting projects: The Taharoa/Grandy Lake planting and the Pongoroa Station planting.

We’ve raised 63% of our target amount and now we have one month to go to get to 100%. You can help us restore Whangawehi catchment by:
• Going online and choosing a stream restoration project to support here: http://millionmetres.org.nz/donate/ (every dollar counts)
• Share this email with 5 or 10 friends and colleagues and ask them to share it too
• Share the link to our fundraiser online through Facebook or Twitter
• Or get your work or community group involved to run a fundraiser and then donate the proceeds at the link above

You can watch a video about the Whangawehi Catchment Management Group here:
http://millionmetres.org.nz/open-project/taharoa-whangawehi
Thanks so much for your support,

The Whanagwehi team

Last week was a milestone in the group’s journey and it was good to part of it. I have attached a press release from the Wairoa Star for you to have a look at.

SigningCeremonySeptember 2015

On Saturday the 19th of September, the Whangawehi Community gathered at Tuahuru Marae to celebrate a new Signing of the Whangawehi Catchment Management group’s Memorandum of Understanding. Three new landowners have decided to join and support the group’s vision : M Fay owner of Pongaroa Station, Richard and Hannah Coops, owners of Okepuha Station and Kathy and Marc Bowen owner of a family farm.MoUoctober2015
This ceremony is a milestone in the group’s journey and with new supporters, the WCMG is in a stronger position to continue its conservation work. The community work has been outstanding with 69 000 trees planted over the last two years, a school and a pest control programme amongst other initiatives. HBRC Chairman, Fenton Wilson, was impressed by the work done and re iterated the fact that the collaborative approach used was unique and should be used by other groups as a template.
On behalf of the WCMG, we would like to thank you all for this very special day and are looking forward to progressing the implementation of our Catchment Management Plan.
Nic Caviale-Delzescaux

On the 8th of September Te Mahia school students came along the Whangawehi river to install their Blue Penguin nesting boxes. The site is located in the estuary, just above the Whangawehi bridge and has been planted with 450 native plants. This area used to be highly colonised until the early 80s when human activities and predators put to much pressure on this vulnerable bird. With the help of Whanau, Te Mahia students built 13 boxes in August and named them for further monitoring. Traps were laid to reduce predator impact on bird life and hopefully protect the little colony. A netting will secure the area from dogs but still allow the birds to get in and out.

This initiative is certainly challenging but has the merit to raise awareness on a unique bird specie that used to be very common in the area.

A big thank you to the students, teachers, coordinator and whanau for their help and support.

Nga mihi nui