Bastion Pt project earns award for conservation
MICHELLE COOKE - East And Bays Courier16/07/2010
FOREST BUILDERS: Ngati Whatua has been given $14,000 for reforestation of Bastion Pt. From left: Ngati Whatua O Orakei heritage manager Ngarimu Blair, conservation trustee Chris Palmer, conservation trust chairman Don Robertson and Ko Te Pukaki Project manager Charmaine Wiapo.
A major forest restoration project at Bastion Point has been acknowledged for its ecological contribution.
The Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust has awarded Ngati Whatua $14,500, which has been put towards a new potting shed, nursery and quad bike.
But Okahu Rakau, the group that works tirelessly on the Ko Te Pukaki restoration project, say it's not the money but the acknowledgement that counts.
Ko Te Pukaki project manager Charmaine Wiapo says the grant has allowed the group to fully enclose their shed, which means more people can come and see what work is going on, and learn from it.
The additional quad bike means planting can now happen twice as fast.
More than 3000 trees were planted at Ngati Whatua's last community planting day.
Ms Wiapo says that number could double with the extra quad bike.
For the last 10 years Ngati Whatua has been working on returning 35 hectares of its land back to native bush. More than 140,000 trees have been planted.
"That is huge and to be responsible for that much land and be so in touch with the programme is just fantastic," conservation trust chairman Don Robertson says.
While 10 years ago the vast land overlooking the Waitemata Harbour was void of birds, now there are pukeko happily walking around and tui singing in the trees.
"It's outstanding," Mr Robertson says.
The trust supports environmental projects on Great Barrier Island, Motuihe Island and Waiheke Island, but it has always intended to contribute toward the Ko Te Pukaki project.
Mr Robertson was impressed with how the group works on all aspects of the project from collecting scraps, to making compost, using that compost in the nursery, planting trees and maintaining them.
Ko Te Pukaki's next community planting day is tomorrow from 9.30am to 12.30pm at Orakei Marae, 59 Kitemoana St.