Puketi welcomes trampers
Dave Dobbyn, chef Ray McVinnie, BG Williams the All Black legend, Gary Paykel from Fisher & Paykel, Peter Montgomery the yachting commentator and Dean Barker - and me!
We get quite a few well known people in here, particularly travelling through to Russell.
I tend to greet them by
Cruise ships used to come in here, in the 70s and 80s, but now they anchor off, which is a disappointment to us.
Now the ships are too big and anchor out in the Bay and ferry ashore. The third annual Puketi Forest Kauri Challenge will be held on January 28.
Participants can choose to tramp a 12km or 21km route in the Puketi Forest in the event, which fundraises for continued pest control by the Puketi Forest Trust.
The cost of $50 for entering the 21km event will be applied to sponsoring pest control of one hectare of forest for a year. A fee of $60 for the shorter walk includes four-wheel drive transport to the midway point.
Puketi Forest Trust began trapping over 13 years ago, by the end of 2016 over 57,500 predators had been eradicated.
Trustee Ian Wilson says being in such a beautiful, healthy forest surrounded by birds is a moving experience.
‘‘I often work alone in the forest and when I have these magical experiences I always feel a sense of guilt that I am reaping the rewards of the financial support and thousands of hours of volunteer time given by many people.’’
The idea of organising the Kauri Challenge is to give more people the opportunity to immerse themselves in one of the last remnants of the healthy kauri forest left.’’
The route follows Pirau Ridge Road to the Waipapa River, finishing at Forest Pools.
For entry forms and more information visit www.puketi.org.nz