Education centre on maunga

By Roy Pilott

“Education has always been a core purpose,” Jim Mylchreest says of Maungatautari Sanctuary Mountain.

So it was fitting that at the opening of the $846,000 Manu Korokii Education Centre on the maunga last week the Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan acknowledged Mylchreest’ s role in the success story the conservation venture has become.

Mylchreest is a former chief executive of Sanctuary Mountain and was subsequently mayor of Waipā until last October - and he sat next to his successor at the powhiri.

“I think about the speed today people, and children particularly are learning about biodiversity and reflect on the day 20 years ago when the Northern Enclosure was opened and 3500 children were there,” he told The News.

“Most of them will now be paying taxes and rates, and many will have children of their own.”

Ngāti Korokī Kahukura Trust co-chair Karaitiana Tamatea, a former co-chair of the Maungatautari trust, welcomed about 100 guests into the new building, designed by Cambridge’s Antanas Procuta of Paua Architects.

The importance of exposing young people to what is happening on the maunga was underlined in an emotional presentation by its lead educator Tali Jellyman who said up to 4500 young people stepped off a bus to be introduced to Maungatautari each year.

“It’s important to combine formal classroom learning with experienced base learning,” she said.

She said research showed “experiential based learning” for children aged 6-12 about biodiversity and conservation on the mountain had an impact on behaviour extensions to adulthood. At 13 up, students became actively informed citizens - “they are our future leaders”.

“I am grateful for this building I it feels inviting,” she said.

Newly appointed chief executive Andrew Packham, in one of his first formal engagements, said the new building will allow tens of thousands of students to start their learning.

He acknowledged the “incredibly diverse” range of supporters who assist Sanctuary Mountain – from corporates to schools who raised money through the sales of bait.

Work on the new learning centre began early last year, and it endured some Covid enforced delays.

It is at the Southern Enclosure of Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari – where 47km of predator proof fence protects 3400 hectares of forest and native wildlife enjoy an environment which nurtured flora and fauna before the arrival of mammals.

Kaka were flying overhead, tieke were in the trees and pitoitoi, the North Island robin – which are also breeding on Mt Pirongiacould be found at every turn on Thursday.

The new centre will be key to Sanctuary Mountain’s Conservation Education Programme catering for individuals, schools, tertiary and community groups.