Taiea te Taiao celebrates another year of achievements and vision

View from the Maungatautari bushline to Pirongia. Photo / David Woodcock - Nimbus Media

The Maungatautari to Pirongia Ecological Corridor celebrates three years this month.

The project is known as Taiea te Taiao, which is the mana whenua gifted name meaning “cherish the environment”.

The project aims to connect the two maunga with planting, predator control and weed control as well as education, engagement and monitoring to enhance biodiversity across the corridor.

Taiea te Taiao coordinator Bexie Towle said celebrations are indeed in order, as more than 50,000 plants went in during a wonderfully wet and warm winter, bringing the total plantings to more than 250,000 over three years.

“Participating landowners are all enthusiastic and on board to fence, retire land and maintain plantings with pride in the land they care for and the birds and biodiversity that visit.

“Alongside planting efforts, landowners and community members are actively managing predators throughout the corridor and on the two maunga.

“This effort enhances the remarkable work undertaken by the Pirongia te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Society and Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.”

Maungatautari landowner John Oien, Georgia Roguski, Waikato Regional Council (left), and Nardene Berry, NZ Landcare Trust.

Through the efforts of Predator Free Te Awamutu and Predator Free Pirongia, 1300 new traps now safeguard native species on private land in the corridor around the maunga, on farms and in the towns and villages.

Towle said local Menzsheds, especially the Highfield Menzshed, as well as Pirongia Scouts and Paterangi and Pirongia schools have contributed this year by constructing trap boxes.

Waikeria Prison residents have also expressed eagerness to utilise their time to build additional trap boxes on-site for use within the corridor and beyond.

Taiea te Taiao Project coordinator Bexie Towle (left) and Enviroschools education facilitator Sara Taylor engaging with school students during Conservation Week. 

“The support for this project has been phenomenal and has surpassed our highest expectations,” said Towle.

To celebrate these achievements Taiea te Taiao invites anyone who has been involved, or wants to be involved, to join them at the annual celebration on Wednesday, November 6, at the Pirongia Forest Park Lodge.

Email bexie.towle@landcare.org.nz to register and get more details.