National conference for Waimanoni
An address by Whaingaroa Harbour Care manager Fred Litchwark on the benefits of riparian planting is expected to be amongst the highlights of the national marine and freshwater conference that will take place at Waimanoni Marae next week.
Whaingaroa Harbour Care (Raglan), under Mr Litchwark’s management since 1995, has led the growing and planting of more than a million native trees throughout the Whaingaroa catchment, work that has attracted the attention of the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
His address, at 6pm on the Friday, April 26, which will include information regarding the financial benefits that riparian fencing and planting can deliver to farmers, will be open to the public. Admission by gold coin koha.
The Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust wananga (He Wai Rangatira) will explore the underlying values of the ancestral, spiritual, strategic and economic significance of water, and seek ways to form stronger partnerships and collaborations to achieve common goals and aspirations, and is particularly aimed at those involved in freshwater and marine conservation.
The objectives include to provide a forum for marine and freshwater educators to network, to provide professional and volunteer development opportunities, to provide a forum to discuss the effectiveness of existing and potential partnerships that will foster action for marine and freshwater conservation, and to ensure the strong delivery of the Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) and Whitebait Connection (WBC) concepts.
It is also aimed at raising the profile and value of He Wai Rangatira for conservation and education, empowering the community to make changes for the benefit of the marine and freshwater environment, and specifically benefiting the greater Kaitaia community.
The agenda includes presentations by each of the five Muriwhenua iwi, a field trip to Maitai Bay to celebrate the rahui declared there by Te Wha¯nau Moana and Te Rorohuri, a Sustainable Coastlines litter project training workshop and a visit to the nearby freshwater dune lakes.
The conference will conclude on the Sunday, but will be followed by specialist training workshops for EMR and WBC co-ordinators over the following Monday and Tuesday.
To register ($429 waged/professional, $319 for non-waged, students, teachers and nonprofit organisations) go to www.facebook/emr.mtsct or www.emr.org.nz. There is a ‘waiting list’ for Far North residents who cannot afford to register for whom sponsors may possibly be found.