Conservation group gears-up for new initiatives

A Tāwharanui Peninsula-based conservation collective recently marked 10 years as an incorporated society and voted in a new chair.

Takatu LandCare (TLC) was established to create a pest-controlled buffer zone for the Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary, and boost and protect native wildlife populations across the peninsula.

Last month, TLC’s chair of four years, Jon Monk, retired and Buckleton Bay resident John McIntyre was elected chairperson. John is a trustee of Mahurangi Wastebusters Charitable Trust and ex-officio director of Mahurangi Wastebusters Ltd, which manages the Auckland Council-owned Warkworth and Wellsford community recycling centres.

John says Jon Monk and the TLC committee’s work over the past year gained impetus with the commissioning an audit of the peninsula identifying important ecological sites, the commencement of a pilot restoration project on one of the identified sites, and a more concerted push to control invasive weeds.

“I’m thrilled to take on the chair’s role at a time of such momentum and to push these initiatives forward. All of TLC is committed to ensuring that native wildlife flourishes on the peninsula and surrounding areas,” John McIntyre says.

Previously, TLC’s main focus was

Highwaymen hit the road

supporting the trapping of mustelids, possums and rats, catching more than 11,000 since records began in 2017. TLC is a collective of nine community conservation groups, volunteers and supporters. For more information contact John at: takatulandcare.chairperson@ gmail.com

Dennis Marsh, Gray Bartlett, Eddie Low and Brendan Dugan will stop in Wellsford in May as part of their national NZ Highwaymen tour. The four country musicians have, between them, recorded more than 100 albums, many of which went gold and platinum. Promoters say the Highwaymen will give a new twist to some of their own biggest hits, as well as performing the best from the likes of Johnny Cash, George Jones and Kenny Rogers. “If you are a country music fan this is a special event you won’t want to miss,” they say. The four legends of Kiwi music will give a matinee performance at the Wellsford Community Centre on May 21, at 2.30pm.

Fruit fly to target moth plant spread

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) wants people’s views on an application to release a new fruit fly to stop the spread of moth plant.

Waikato Regional Council has applied to import and release the moth plant fruit fly, Anastrepha australis, as a biological control agent for the moth plant, Araujia hortorum The moth plant is a hardy, climbing vine from South America that is considered a significant threat to biodiversity, conservation efforts and urban areas, particularly in Auckland and Northland. Introduced to Aotearoa New Zealand as an ornamental species, the plant can be found in many places around Mahurangi.

Moth plant is a significant concern in Aotearoa and in several regions of the world because it forms heavy masses of foliage that can break down trees or smother undergrowth, including native seedlings. The milky sap of the plant is poisonous and can cause skin burns.

The insect proposed to control this weed is a South American fruit fly that is wasp-like in size, shape and colour. Females lay their eggs in moth plant fruit and the larvae eat the seeds inside, damaging the plant and stopping it spreading.

Hazardous substances and new organisms general manager Dr Chris Hill says the moth plant fruit fly doesn’t bite or sting, so there is no potential risk to people from this insect.

“It only lives for about a month, and our risk assessment includes studies that show it’s highly unlikely to harm native plants.”

Submissions close on April 21 at 5pm.

Info: https://www.epa.govt.nz/publicconsultations/open-consultations/ application-to-introduce-a-fruit-fly-tocombat-moth-plant