to foster and grow empowered and informed citizens for the future who make decisions that positively impact the environment.” Alongside sustainability efforts made within the school grounds, students have also taken their environmental action outside the school, establishing and maintaining a community orchard, looking after neighbours’ natural animal habitats by fixing fences, clearing debris from waterways and planting natives at Everett Park every year. “By encouraging students to 'fix’ things
Taranaki (694 KB pdf) (single document only) Inventory of solid wastes management & disposal in Taranaki (694 KB pdf) Marfell Park environmental investigation 2009 When drums containing chemical residue were unearthed by contractors at Marfell Park, New Plymouth, in May 2009, concerns were raised within the community about potential dioxin and other contamination within the old landfill underlying the park. The Council commissioned Pattle Delamore Partners Ltd to carry out a soil sampling
Our young people are among the biggest champions of the predator free vision. Schools and students are leading residents’ efforts to restore native wildlife and plants, for the next generation. Taranaki schools are ambassadors of Towards Predator-Free Taranaki, many distributing traps to households to raise funds for environmental school projects. Students are helping expand urban trapping by checking traps in public parks and reserves. They are making trap boxes and helping monitor
Video of whio surfing down the Whaiwhakaiho River As the whio population increases and spills out of Egmont National Park then landscape-scale predator control by rural residents, as part of Towards Predator-Free Taranaki, will be critical to protecting this endangered species and others. This will complement extensive predator control in the national park by the Department of Conservation, Taranaki Mounga, an ecological restoration project, and Taranaki Regional Council, which are all working
successfully maintained possum numbers at low levels on privately owned land. Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research recently released the results of camera trap monitoring it carried out where mustelid trapping networks had been established – Waiwhakaiho (year one) and a buffer running around the national park boundary (year two). In both zones stoat numbers declined by at least 90% between 2019 and 2020. No ferrets were detected in zone one while in zone two their numbers also reduced by more than 90%. Weasels
is for our region’s biodiversity. In fact, she reckons her friends are probably sick of hearing about it. “I talk about it a lot,” she laughs. Gillian and Bernie plan to continue looking after the traps as long as they are able and would “absolutely recommend it” to others keen to make a difference to our region’s biodiversity. If you’re interested in checking traps in a New Plymouth park or reserve, contact NPDC Parks Volunteer Officer Laura George on (06) 759 6060 to see where volunteers are
shrubs. The mahi by Brian is restoring the native ecosystem and eradicating weeds which is helping native fauna to return. Brian has co-ordinated planting at an old dairy factory in the township and Hurst Park and is a driving force behind eliminating invasive weed species around the Ōpunake Loop Trail. Key to the success of Brian’s work is his people skills which has helped motivate volunteers to clean up areas, pull out weeds and plant native species. Collaborations include St Joseph’s Primary
incredibly satisfying. “The reward is more birds, more plants, more flowers. It’s a win-win,” Tony says, adding he and others have noticed a “massive increase” in birdlife in the area. In between trips in their motorhome and their other conservation work, the couple plan on looking after their trap run for many years to come. Or as Tony puts it: “Until I can’t get home afterwards and help myself to a G&T.” If you’re interested in checking traps in a New Plymouth park or reserve, contact NPDC Parks
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18 NP Central
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120 Ōkato
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145 Fitzroy
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17 Spotswood
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86 Source: Trap.NZ Removing rats is the current focus of predator control in urban New Plymouth district, but possums, stoats and hedgehogs have also been caught by some trappers, Trap.NZ records show. New Plymouth District Council also have 1319 traps in public parks and reserves, with 1552 rat catches recorded. “It’s exciting to see the commitment to protect local biodiversity by urban residents – particularly with
Here are the latest images from our webcams, click on an image to view the past 48 hours. Please note that timestamps on images are in NZST - New Zealand Standard Time (1 hour behind during daylight saving). Manganui at Everett ParkManganui at Everett Park site location | Everett Park site data Mangorei at PipebridgeMangorei at Pipebridge site location | Mangorei at Pipebridge site data Waitara at Bertrand RdWaitara at Bertrand Rd site location | Bertrand Rd site data Waitotara at Rimunui