Native birds thrive with funding preserved for Rangikapiti Reserve
Volunteers helping to restore and regenerate native plant and bird life in Rangikapiti Reserve have been granted $975 by Te Hiku Community Board to help with pest management.
The reserve, between Mangōnui and Coopers Beach, has seen a slow increase in birdsong from tui, ruru, fantails and kiwi as the hard work of volunteers and students from Mangōnui Primary School has helped to reduce invasive pests and weeds.
The benefits of this project are seen in the natural regeneration of seedlings such as whau, karaka and kohekohe taking the place of intruders such as wattle, gorse and asparagus weed.
Members of the local community are welcome to join the volunteer group by registering through Volunteering Northland.
The community board also granted Doubtless Bay Promotion Inc $8000 towards the cost of moving its information centre to a more central location in the Mangōnui township. The centre will be run by volunteers and a dedicated committee comprised of volunteer businesspeople. The information services provided by the centre direct visitors to local attractions and sightseeing opportunities.
The Kaitāia Croquet Club, one of the oldest in the Te Hiku region, turns 100 this year. The board granted the club $1730 towards their centenary celebrations to be held on 7 and 8 December. The event will include competitions in Association Croquet and Golf Croquet along with a special dinner for past and present members.
Circability Trust was granted $521 towards venue hire for their annual Kanohi Kitea event on 24 October at Te Ahu Centre in Kaitāia. The initiative is held to develop ongoing whanaungatanga hui and partnerships, provide safe spaces for rangitahi Māori in the Far North, and engage youth in an artform they enjoy and reflects their culture. Circability provides social circus classes, workshops and events using a range of traditional and adapted circus props and equipment to create recreational activities for all ages and abilities. A special focus is working with the disability community.
Other community groups to be awarded grants were:
- Te WhakaoraTangata – $939 towards venue hire for a Free Woman, two-day, emotional healing wananga on 13 and 14 September at Te Ahu Community Centre in Kaitāia.
- Houhora Big Game and Sport Fishing Club - $6514 towards the construction of a concrete pedestrian ramp at the club facility in Pukenui, creating a safe pedestrian accessway for the community.
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