Expo will have news on stream

Information on the progress being made on an ecological corridor linking Maungatautari and Pirongia maunga will form part of an Ecology Expo taking place at the Te Awamutu Museum on Sunday.

The event brings together groups working to revitalise Waipā’s natural ecology.  This year’s lineup will include Project Echo, Maungatautari Sanctuary Mountain, Pirongia Te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Society, Waipā District Council Waste Minimisation and Predator Free Te Awamutu/Taiea te Taiao.

The latter is a funded five-year project aimed at linking Maungatautari and Pirongia via an ecological corridor straddling the roughly 40km distance by planting along the Mangapiko Stream as it meanders through farmland and other properties.   It was started in late 2021.

Bexie Towle, Taiea te Taiao Ecological Corridor project co-ordinator, said things are going well.

“We’ve had a lot of interest from landowners, even more than expected,” she said this week.  “By its nature the project will take generations … forests don’t grow overnight, but we’ve been so pleased to see that the community is willing to take the first steps, whether retiring land, fencing waterways, planting trees or installing predator control.  That’s been really positive.

“Considering all of this takes time and money, we are making progress much faster than expected.”

The project brings together several working groups, including from the Waikato Regional Council, Waipā District Council, NZ Landcare Trust, Pirongia Te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Society and local iwi, and is aimed at increasing biodiversity, enhancing native species and boosting water quality.

An update on the corridor will form part of Sunday’s ‘Tui and Tama’s Eco Expo’ at the museum, a free Children’s Day event running from 10am to 2pm.

The expo will show locals what is being done in the area to help boost native plants and animals and outline ways in which families can get involved.

Bexie Towle, project co-ordinator on the Taiea te Taiao Ecological Corridor, with Puahue School children on a planting day held last year at the Roto-o-Rangi farm of Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan and her husband John Hayward. Photo: supplied

More Recent News

World conflicts boost Anzac crowds

Record numbers attending Anzac Day events around the region, and the messages delivered at those services, suggest a heightened public awareness of escalating global tensions. The messages were widespread and came from regional mayors, Members…

Sister city relationship sealed

Cambridge was well represented in France for Anzac Day commemorations over the weekend and the 25th anniversary of the sister city relationship with Le Quesnoy. The 28 students from Cambridge High School and their four…

Sharpe service

Diane Sharpe’s enthusiasm for Fieldays has not been blunted even after 35 years. While Fieldays is calling for volunteer, organisers need not send an invitation to Diane – she will be there, yet again. “It’s…

Anzac Day – from sunrise to sunset

On a day of highlights perhaps the most significant came when Cambridge RSA president Tony Hill read out a letter from King Charles III to Les Winslade. Les at 104 was not only the oldest…