Welcome to Seaweek 2015 (28 February to 8 March). It’s time to “Look beneath the surface – Papatai ō roto – Papatai ō raro”.
Continue Reading...Archives For 30/11/1999
Today’s photo of the week shows kayakers in Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) — one of New Zealand’s iconic Coastal Gems. You could win an amazing marine experience like this, for you and three friends, by entering #DiveIntoAdventure.
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The Grand Prize for Conservation Week 2013 is an amazing Great Barrier Island holiday package – the perfect summer getaway for you and three others.
One of the beautiful beaches on Great Barrier Island
I’ve heard Great Barrier Island described as a remote, tranquil and untouched paradise. My Auckland friends who are lucky enough to holiday there induce jealousy every summer by raving about the pristine beaches, the unique wildlife and the relaxed vibe of the island – if you are reading this I’m still waiting for my invite!
The island boasts scenic mountain biking trails, walking tracks that weave through coastal forests, and isolated coves to snorkel and explore. It’s also perfect for those who want to do a bit of boating, kayaking or fishing. If all that sounds a bit too exhausting, there is always the chance to retreat to the Kaitoke Hot Springs to relax at the end of the day.
There are plenty of activities to do on the island like mountain biking and kayaking
All you have to do to win is to make a pledge for Conservation Week, it’s nothing too strenuous. Simply head to the Conservation Week website, choose a nature-related activity for your pledge and fill in the form. Your pledge can be as simple as changing your Facebook cover photo or something ambitious like planning a Great Walk.
What’s your whānau doing for Conservation Week?
There are also loads of great spot prizes to be given away to those who share their pledges through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest using #pledgefornz. So what are you waiting for? Head over and make your pledge today.
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Last year Genesis Energy held the first Great Whio Adventure competition. The top prize was a family trip to spend a day catching and tagging whio with DOC Rangers. Communications & Engagement Advisor Robyn Orchard reports back from the day:
The Brand family from Wellington were the North Island winners of the Great Whio Adventure competition and arrived in Whakapapa Village in late January. Jürgen, his wife Sarah, and their sons, Joshua, 18, Heinrich 14 and Daniel 12, had already spent a day white water rafting, but this didn’t stop them from returning to the local rivers with the DOC rangers in search of whio.
Daniel Brand with one of the juvenile whio before they were released
DOC Rangers, Ali Beath, Dean Flavell, Andy Glaser and Malcolm Swanney, were joined by Bubs Smith from Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro (local hapu), conservation-dogs Neo and Fern, and myself.
We all got kitted up with wetsuits and raincoats before the rangers gave us briefing and then it was off in a convoy of vehicles to a whio site in the Mangetepopo Stream, in the Tongariro Forest.
After a steep and muddy descent the rangers showed us how they find and catch the whio for checking, tagging and releasing.
Ruapehu Biodiversity Rangers Ali Beath and Dean Flavell tagging a mother whio duck
With the help of Neo and Fern we located a group of whio upstream. The rangers unpacked and set up a fine net across the width of the stream. The whio were gently ushered downstream and into the net where the Brand family and I were hiding, ready to grab the strong-swimming ducks.
“Try and make yourself blend in and look like a tree or a rock,” said Ali. I’m not sure that any of us looked like trees or rocks as we stood in water trying to stay quiet and still.
A family of five whio were captured in the net and held above the water by each of the Brand family members until they were untangled from the net and placed in the holding bags. One of the juveniles staged a daring escape but was quickly tracked down and shepherded back upriver by Andy and Neo.
Malcom, Fern, Jürgen, Andy and Neo. Fern was put through her paces that day to be certified as a whio dog… she passed.
With all whio accounted for, the Brand family then helped microchip the ducks and place colour bands on their legs for identification. All whio get micro-chipped as a permanent identification method. The microchip is inserted into the back of the neck using a needle and will stay there for life. Adult ducks then have three colour bands put on their legs with each bird getting a different combination of colours. This allows the rangers to recognise each duck individually.
This combined identification method also allows the rangers to read the microchips with a scanner and gather information on how old each duck is, who their mate is, the size of their territory and other details. This data is stored on a national database and is available through the Genesis Energy funded scanning tools.
Following the checks and tagging it was time to return the mildly inconvenienced whio back into their stream. The Brand family took one whio each and together, released them into the rapids.
Watched by the conservation dog handlers and dogs, the Brand family release the family of five whio back into the river
We then left the stream just as the rain clouds closed in, and as we trudged (some of us trudging more than others) back up to the vehicles with the rain bucketing down. I was exhausted and could hardly put one foot in front of the other as I brought up the rear (thanks to Joshua for taking my backpack off me and Dean for carrying my rain jacket). I think I will either get fit at DOC or collapse trying!
The Brand Family loved their adventure prize, especially the chance to walk in the wet boots of the DOC rangers for a day.
Enjoy your own family whio adventure!
Whio Forever are running the Great Whio Adventure competition again. If you know of a family that would enjoy this unique prize, encourage them to enter by 12 April on the Whio Forever website.
There are many reasons why I’m excited about Dulux partnering with DOC to protect New Zealand’s backcountry huts.
Firstly, I’m excited that we have a new partner investing in conservation. As Ecclesiastes says: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.” In other words, together we can achieve more – and we all want more conservation.
Secondly, as an avid (but amateur) interior decorator and home renovator, I’ve personally been in a relationship with Dulux for years. And while a lot of people don’t love work spilling into their private lives, most of us would agree that it’s pretty great to have the things we enjoy in our private lives spill into work.
A small sample of Dulux from my personal collection. And despite what it looks like, my husband didn’t decapitate me and artfully place my head on our bucket of Dulux Ceiling White!
Thirdly, to celebrate this new partnership, there’s a competition. Winning would be amazing (who wouldn’t want a fabulous, fully hosted wilderness weekend for two in Mt Aspiring National Park?!) but the cool thing is that creating an entry is actually a fun experience in itself – so you really can’t lose! You should have a go:
Head to the Protecting Our Place website, summon your creative genius, paint a DOC hut (virtually of course – none of that annoying real life preparation or messy clean-up), and be in to win.
Tarn Ridge Hut: Some real life before and after photos to inspire you
So, hopefully by now you’re as excited as me about putting the colours of New Zealand to work for conservation!
