Pestival Webinar Replay:
Āwhitu Landcare is one of the oldest Landcare groups in New Zealand. Started over 30 years ago by a group of local farmers concerned about the sheer number of possums on the peninsula that were killing off the Pōhutukawa trees, among others.
Today we hear from Nicky Reynold about the Te Korowai o Papatūānuku project supplying local landowners with eco-sourced native plants, to bring back the biodiversity on the peninsula.
We also hear from Sam Whitley and Paapaka Brown about predator-control on the peninsula, as without that, replanting of native tree will simply be feeding the pests.
This video first aired as part of the Franklin Online Pestival, in November 2022.
Nicky Reynolds – Te Korowai o Papatūānuku, Āwhitu Peninsula Landcare
Nicky feels very fortunate to have been able to incorporate her passion for the environment into her employment over several years. In 2021 she was fortunate to become part of Te Korowai o Papatūānuku, the partnership between Ngāti Te Ata, Auckland Council and Āwhitu Landcare. She has been involved with a raft of land-based work and projects prior to this position. The funding secured by Landcare from MPI has allowed a nursery extension, significant increase in production of eco-sourced trees from the Āwhitu Peninsula, increased community engagement and the employment of a number of local people (including staff training through Primary ITO ). Above all it is significant to have iwi sites successfully planted along with extensively fenced off wetlands, waterways and Biodiversity Focus Areas (BFAs) across the Peninsula. Te Korowai o Papatūānuku received an Auckland Council Mayoral Conservation Collaboration Award in 2021.
Paapaka Brown – Western Area Supervisor, Te Ara Hikoi
“Kia Ora, Ko Paapaka taaku ingoa, Ko Ngaati Te Ata Waiohu te IWI ko Tainui te Waka. I am a Kaitiaki (guardian) from the environmental team of Ngaati Te Ata, the local IWI of Waiuku/Awhitu area. In my role for the IWI I deal with the natural environment. From Pest Control to riparian planting and ecological enhancement with a specialty in cultural landscapes and biodiversity. My second role I work for Te Ara Hikoi/predator free franklin as a Western area Supervisor, I have a strong interest in pest management, monitoring and control and currently work in the Waiuku/Awhitu areas conducting pest management. My desire is to continue to provide effective pest control and eradication with the end goal of a predator free Awhitu peninsular by 2050. Both roles are heavily environmental, by land, sea and air. By land, I conduct duties tasked with Kaitiaki mahi which involves restoration and protection of the land. By sea, restoring waterways, protection, and enhancement. By Air, conducting regular Air Patrols correlating data and photographs of coastal erosion for my IWI Ngaati Te Ata. My mission is to recruit and lead teams of local IWI in pest control/management with a focus on effective predator control methods and a strong emphasis on community engagement.”