Category Archives: Conservation- Native bird specie- Indigenous project-Habitat restoration- Pest control

End of year water run.

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Arthur Bowen, Cultural Health Index Co-ordinator completed his last water monitoring session for the year.  Algae growth levels in the river are steadily decreasing probably due to the lower than average water temperatures.  Large numbers of both whitebait and Red Fin Bully were observed in the forest area in shallow water.  With the approach of summer the water flow is steadily decreasing which will increase water temperature and reduce the life supporting capacity of the stream.  With the native trees planted on the stream banks we hope to create a shading effect that will lower water temperature and increase life supporting capabilities of the stream.  Tissue sample analysis undertaken last month on Whetiko and Cockels for heavy metal and hydro-carbons showed below guidelines levels.   Recently, E. coli levels were above recreational guidelines after the rain event of November and clearly indicates that we still have some work ahead of us.  On a positive note E. coli levels have been below recreational levels since January 2015 (except for after this rain event) so their is hope that once the restoration programme is completed we might significantly improve water quality in general.

A new signatory to the Whangawehi Memorandum of Understanding

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On the 22d of December, Len Syme, farmer in the Whangawehi Catchment officially joined the restoration programme by signing the group’s Memorandum of Understanding. Len farms a significant area of land in the catchment and leases Homestead farm (owned by Grandy Lake Forest). Back in 2012, Len Syme accepted to sell some of his land to the Hawkes Bay Regional Council to build what is now know as the Waste Water treatment plant. We welcome Len on board and are looking forward to working with him in the future.  The group now has 12 signatories out of 15 landowners .

Forging ahead with Te Kura Kaupapa O Te Wairoa

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Oha Manuel, community engagement officer for the Whangawehi organised a successful presentation at the Kura in order to raise awareness of the groups work in the community.  Attended also by group members; Rae Te Nahu, Arthur Bowen, Sophie Dodds and Nicolas Caviale-Delzescaux , members individually presented different aspects of the project.  The teachers were impressed and excited by the prospect of future collaborative work between the Whangawehi and the school.   Plans have been put in place for the school to built both Weta and Blue Penguin boxes and develop a logo for the project.  The group would like to acknowledge the friendly and kind welcome given by the staff at the school and is looking forward to working closer together in 2016.

Nuhaka school visits Whangawehi

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The Whangawehi Catchment Management group was privileged to have the visit of Nuhaka school students today in what could be shaping up to be a new partnership between the two groups.

Oha Manuel, community engagement officer and Nic Caviale, project co-ordinator walked the students to Mamangu for a site visit.  The children undertook water testing on the Whangawehi River, laid out traps for pest control measures and staked the newly planted native trees.

On returning, the group stopped next to a midden (an old Maori shellfish pit)  and discussed how local Tipuna lived off the land and the sea.

The final highlight for the day was visiting the blue penguin box site where the group is actively trying to attract back this bird.

Thank  you to  Shane Mildenhall for allowing access to the site and to the students for their help and enthusiasm.

Wireless pest control trial

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The Whangawehi Catchment Management Group is actively looking at increasing the scope of its pest control programme.  With assistance from the Hawkes Bay Regional Council the WCMG has been selected as a pilot project to trial 25 new state of the art traps.

These pest control traps are designed to send a signal to a hub located on a high point in the catchment every time a pest is caught.  This data is then sent to the landowners via an application on their mobile phones which alerts them to when and where the traps have been triggered.

This technology could potentially change the face of pest control in the future by significantly reducing maintenance costs, especially in very difficult and rugged terrain.   Contractors would only need to be sent in on targeted trap lines when a set percentage of traps have been set off.   This differs from the traditional maintenance techniques which consist of checking and maintaining the traps on a monthly basis, whether the traps have been sprung or not.

This new wireless leading edge technology added to the new long lasting baits/lures (which last up to twelve months) makes this trial relevant to our steep and remote Mahia hill country.   If successful these traps will play a key role in pest control challenges ahead.  Over the past two years the group has established 70,000 trees and noticed a steep increase in birdlife.  This pest control programme would play an instrumental role in protecting the ever increasing wildlife that is coming back to the area at a significantly lower cost.

The WCMG want to thank Grandy Lake Forest and Taharoa Trust for their co-operaton in trialling these new technology traps and HBRC for allowing us to be part of the trial.

 

 

Whangawehi guided walks

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​Through the course of this summer the Whangawehi Catchment Management group wants to open its gate’s to both the local and tourist community by offering a series of free guided walks through a piece of its unique environment. The group wants to update the community and share the progress made so far, as well as investigate the potential future for a walking track similar to the successful Banks Peninsula walkway in the south island over its own catchment.

The walk will start from the headwaters of the Whangawehi which takes in breath-taking views of Mahia Peninsula before heading down through stunning diverse forest. The guided walk will continue meandering down through a series of farms and end up at the river mouth of the Whangawehi stream. It’s approximately 15 kilometers long from start to end over private land which landowners have agreed to open for this special occasion. Along the way the guide will talk in-depth about the restoration project over the past two years including its latest blue penguin project and give an interpretation of the rich cultural sites and historic heritage of the catchment. Members of the group will have a display stall at the upcoming summer Mahia markets and will be holding a number of presentations at the Mokotahi Hall at Mahia beach promoting the work their doing and trying to develop stronger links and support from the community. All of these events will have discussions around a long term goal of starting a walking/mountain biking track through the catchment and being part of a wider New Zealand network of walking tracks and cultural experiences.

 

 

 

 

 

Last day for our fundraising campaign

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The Whangawehi Catchment Management Group (https://whangawehi.com/) needs your help with the restoration of the Whangawehi stream, on the beautiful Mahia Peninsula on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zeland. As you know, this Awa is vitally important to our community – culturally, physically and spiritually. Our vision is to improve water quality, restore biodiversity and engage with our local school to forge the next generation of Gardians / Kaitiaki. Our community has already come together and made fantastic progress with 4.5 km of fencing and 16 000 trees established last winter. Now we need your help for this winter’s planting programme. We are crowd funding for the plants for two restoration projects on two farms : Taharoa/Grandy Lake Forest and Pongaroa Station. Our campaign finishes today so we urgently need your support.

If you want to be part of our journey, check us out and donate at　http://millionmetres.org.nz/donate/　 We would also be grateful if you could share this email with anyone who you think could help.

Thank you

ファンガウェヒ集水管理グループ（https://whangawehi.com/)は、ニュージーランド北島の東海岸に位置する、美しいマヒア半島を流れるファンガウェヒ川を再生することを目的として結成した団体です。ファンガウェヒ川はこの地域社会にとって、文化的、物理的、そして精神的にとても重要です。私たちのビジョンは、その水質を改善し、生物多様性を取り戻し、地元の子供たちを保全活動に参加せることによって次世代の「ファンガウェヒ川の守護者（マオリ語ではカイティアキ、英語ではガーディアン）を育成することです。今日まで、すでに川沿いに4.5kmわたって柵をたて、昨年の冬には1万6千本の植樹を達成しました。このほか、グループは地域の２農場（タハロア・グランディーレイクフォレスト農場とポンガロア農場）におけるプロジェクトの資金援助もしています。