Whizz in the Wild

Wilsons Abel Tasman supports the Department of Conservation’s wilderness toileting campaign. They would like to see a “Whizz in the Wild” addition to be targeted at women with the message “no tissue left behind.”

After litter spots along the Abel Tasman track were identified by his team, CEO Darryl Wilson aimed to set a

Motueka South School

Tidal Trail Fun Run and Fiesta cancelled due to COVID-19

Organisers of the Motueka South School Tidal Trail Fun Run and Fiesta are disappointed to cancel the event that was planned for Sunday, 29 March.

Organisers say the decision was made based on the latest Ministry of Health guidelines, banning events of more than 500 people.

“It really is the socially responsible thing to do. Our fundraising efforts will continue, just in a different form.” baseline for monitoring. He arranged for two volunteers, kitted out with gloves, litter spikes and recycled plastic bags, to spend four days collecting rubbish along the track. Paddy Kenny and Laura van der Laan were impressed as they found only 5 large bin bags of refuse over the 55km covered.

Darryl Wilson says his guides are seeing a reduction in dropped rubbish, indicating that most people “not only buy in to the concept of not dropping litter but have made the significant shift to picking up somebody else’s.”

Removing existing rubbish will discourage the perception that leaving tissue is acceptable practise. Though biodegradable, it takes many

Free dog microchipping

years to break down in our hot dry summers.

Darryl wants to make it best practise to carry a container in the wilderness for soiled tissue. He would like to see DOC signage at discreet, pull-off spots to indicate distance to the next toilet, with additional request to remove all litter if you need to “Whizz in the Wild”.

Tasman District Council provides free microchipping for dogs under 6 months of age and in early April will be providing free microchipping sessions for all dogs throughout the Tasman District.

An invitation to one of the sessions will be sent via email or letter to owners of dogs with no recorded microchip number. If you receive a letter and your dog is microchipped please inform the Council via email at dogcontrol@tasman.govt.nz or phone 03 543 8400.

Those dogs required by law to be microchipped are:

• Dogs classi ed as dangerous or menacing.

• Dogs impounded as unregistered or dogs impounded more than once. Dogs registered for the rst time after July 1, 2006.

Farm working dogs (de ned as those that are kept solely or principally for herding or droving stock) are exempt. No other working dogs are exempt.

Failing to have a microchip implanted in a dog is an o ence the penalty for which range from an infringement notice and associated ne of $300 to prosecution and ne not exceeding $3000. Dog owners are given a warning and opportunity to microchip their dogs prior to the issuing of any infringement notices.

For more information on the free microchipping sessions, please go to tasman.govt.nz/my-property/animal-control/dog-control/dog-registration