ANNUAL 2 REPORT 0 2 0 2 PROJECT TONGARIRO Annual Report 2020 CONTENTS PRESIDENT’S REPORT 3 DIRECTOR’S REPORT 4 COORDINATOR’S REPORT 5 GREENING TAUPO REPORT 7 KIDS GREENING TAUPO REPORT 9 PREDATOR FREE TAUPO REPORT 13 WAIOTAKA RESTORATION REPORT 15 ORUATUA RESERVE RESTORATION REPORT 18 PIHANGA AND ROTOPOUNAMU REPORT 22 PROJECT TONGARIRO INFOGRAPHICS (THROUGHOUT ANNUAL REPORT) PROJECT TONGARIRO Annual Report 2020 3 NICOLA ETHERIDGE PRESIDENT Well as I reflect back on the last year for Project Tongariro, it’s quite hard to remember much before the lockdown and just as I, along with the rest of the nation, were getting comfortable in the bliss of level 1, we’ve been reminded again of the risk Covid-19 poses, as community transmission has emerged in Auckland. So I guess like others, this has been the year of testing our ability to do what we do in a global pandemic. Luckily before the lockdown we supported some great events with the Tussock Traverse being one I was lucky enough to participate in with my daughter. Thanks to the volunteers and Victory basis to ensure all is running smoothly and decisions Events for making it happen and enabling achievable made where needed. The time is given on a voluntary opportunities for families to get out in the park. That’s basis and for that I am grateful their love of the area one of the key things we’re about. motivates them to put in the time. And of course, As it transpired, thanks to the quick actions and to Paul, our director who dedicates so much of his commitment from the team, we were able to keep our experience and time to Project Tongariro for which we conservation work going during the lockdown, after are indebted. So, all up a year we weren’t quite expecting but one So, all up a year we weren’t we adapted too and kept on keeping on. quite expecting but one we Nicola Etheridge adapted too and kept on President keeping on. all pests and weeds don’t know there’s a pandemic. It meant less gatherings but no major setbacks to our work program as you’ll read in the report. I want to thank the staff and volunteers for their effort during the lockdown and beyond. It wasn’t an easy time and you certainly rose to the occasion. The other milestone this year was securing significant funding from Bay Trust, which will enable us to work with some financial security for a while. It’s quite challenging funding aspects of the organisation not directly visible to conservation outcomes but nonetheless critical to making them happen. So a big shout out to Bay Trust for choosing to support us. The executive continues to meet on a bi-monthly 4 PROJECT TONGARIRO Annual Report 2020 PAUL GREEN DIRECTOR My role has been very much focused on providing advice and support to Project Tongariro staff - often as a sounding board for them. I ensure that work is directed at our organisation’s goals and priorities and that we meet our obligations to funders. Rachel and Sian developed an ‘online’ education resource that is valued by teachers, parents and children throughout the country and even had exposure in Australia. We are extremely fortunate our main funder Bay Trust had just committed to a three-year funding grant. We are most fortunate that our staff are self- We were saddened at the impact on outdoor events motivated in their roles and very capable. This year we that saw a last-minute cancellation of the Ring of Fire farewelled Thea De Petris to pursue her PHD, focused event followed by the Goat Tongariro. on environmental education, after an amazing three years transforming our Kids Greening Taupō program. Most predator trapping programs continued with Rachel Thompson, a teacher from Wairakei Primary minimum gaps and our restoration programs School with a passion for inquiry based learning rescheduled site preparation and planting with had stepped into the role with her own brand of minimal impact. enthusiasm and skill. A huge thanks to funders, members, supporters, staff I was particularly impressed how our team of Kiri, and volunteers who have assisted in helping ensure a Robyn, Rachel and Sian drew together and faced difficult year has still been a successful one. the challenges of Covid-19. We developed a risk management plan for implementation the first day Nga mihi after the government announced we were going into Paul lockdown. We focused on managing our health and safety requirements, keeping our executive, funders, members, supporters informed as well as looking at how we could continue to meet our goals and financial obligations. But we also looked for opportunities! A great example of taking an opportunity was the way Rachel and Sian developed an ‘online’ education resource that is valued by teachers, parents and children throughout the country and even had exposure in Australia. PROJECT TONGARIRO Annual Report 2020 5 I also want to highlight what great support, leadership and guidance Paul provides to me and the Coordinator’s role. I am sure I speak for Robyn and Rachel in their respective roles too. Paul does KIRI TE WANO the Director/ Kaiwhakahaere role as a volunteer and PROJECT TONGARIRO we cannot underestimate the experience, wisdom COORDINATOR The 2019-2020 year has been an exciting one for me – one of the absolute highlights was obtaining multiyear funding from Bay Trust. I would describe this funding as critical to support Project Tongariro’s core functions. Not only does Project Tongariro (PT) have restoration projects that it manages, we also provide administration facilitation to Greening Taupō, Kids Greening Taupō and Predator Free Taupō. It is sometimes difficult to explain to people how PT fits in relation to our other (sometimes more) Roy checking out the new tractor donated by Craters of recognisable ‘brands’ these days! This funding the Moon Trust to the Wairakei Drive Project. ensures sustainability of our organisation by securing the critical staff and resources needed to lead, and drive he adds to our society. The Executive Board manage and finance our programs. I feel like this has this last year has also been proactive, supportive been a long time coming and I am very excited to be and decisive. I really admire and applaud Nicola’s partnered with Bay Trust who are progressive and passionate and empathic style of chairing and our energetic partners! discussions recently about the use of glyphosate and 1080 were really productive. It was refreshing to have local students join us and see the connectiveness between them, our local hapu and our natural landscape. I also think the advent of web-based software ‘Board Pro’ has contributed to a strong structure and renewed energy for what our society stands for. Practically, BoardPro has dramatically cutdown the administration time spent gathering and presenting paperwork for meetings. I also wish to thank Sarah for keeping the Board Meetings minutes, and Lucy who has been the society’s treasurer for the past 5 years! She keeps a well-attuned financial eye on things and is always a phone call away. The big event of 2020 COVID_19 still continues to this Te Waa Owens holding Tī Kōuka (a cabbage tree day, and it was surreal to have to add to several of our heart - a delicacy). current policies provisions for pandemics! It was nice 6 PROJECT TONGARIRO Annual Report 2020 Project Tongariro with Conservation Minister Eugene Sage at our Wairakei Corridor Project in Taupo, in early June 2019. Left to right: Shawn Vennell (Quality Print), Paul Green, Robyn Ellis, Conservation Minister Eugene Sage, Thea Depetris, Kiri Te Wano, Shirley Potter, Sian Moffitt and Dave Lumley (Department of Conservation). working from home to start with, but time steadily wore on and the honeymoon period with zoom contribute a team of work-to-release guys who do meetings etc soon wore off. land preparation, weeding and planting, competently supervised by Warrick Simmonds. Nick Singers has Once we came out of lockdown, planting started again been project managing this restoration project and it in earnest with Shirley’s Oruatua Recreation is a credit to him how successful it is. Reserve planting and one on the Waiotaka River, hosted by Ngati Rongomai. We are in our last year Further highlights for me this year was getting of funding for this river restoration project and land to know the three Ngati Turangitukia Biodiversity owners Ngati Rongomai have been fantastic partners interns we employed over summer to help with in this project. We will be looking hard to keep work our conservation and monitoring projects. It was going in this region and to continue this wonderful refreshing to have local students join us and see the relationship. connectiveness between them, our local hapu and our natural landscape. We really enjoyed hosting them, Anyone who has participated at the Waiotaka and thanks to Craters of the Moon Community planting days will fondly remember the Trust and Lake Taupō Forest Trust for sponsoring their welcomes, working alongside beautiful hapu and the time with us. lunches hosted at the marae afterwards, with local delicacies such as komata (cabbage tree heart) cooked Lastly, I wish to thank Nick and Shirley for their 3 ways, poaka/kunekune and much more – all with a continued support for me and Project Tongariro! keto twist! We were also treated to waiata beautifully Combined these two make a formidable force locally sung by Les and Lovey Owens and their whanau and are my main go-to’s for getting things done and during lunch. for experienced ecological advice.