The Onerahi community is looking to become predator-free as local schools, conservation groups and others band together to help protect their community’s native biodiversity.
Tiakina Whangārei has identified Onerahi as an ideal location to become predator-free because as a peninsula, it can be defended against reinvasion. There are also significant areas of forest around the suburb, meaning that the conservation outcomes for biodiversity would be very high.
A successful community meeting was held last month to discuss how Tiakana Whangārei can help support Onerahi’s mission to become a predator-free community.
Tiakina Whangārei coordinator Dai Morgan said it was a great turn out. “We really want to thank all those who came along to the community meeting. It’s exciting to see the passion from the residents of Onerahi to get this project underway. There are so many opportunities for anyone in the community to get involved!
“A steering group is being put in place to meet regularly to discuss the project’s progress. If you’re passionate about helping to protect the natural environment in your backyard and want to be involved, we really encourage you to get in touch.”
One of the first projects is focusing on trapping around public park spaces. “If you live near a park and would be keen to start up a trapping group to help with trapping, or want to start trapping in your own backyard, free traps are available and we’d love to hear from you,” says Dai.
Local schools are also getting behind the project. Raurimu Ave School students are completing pest surveys, bird counts and deploying rat traps along a section of the Waimahunga Track close to the school, and at Onerahi School, students have been targeting the George Point Road area, asking residents to maintain a backyard trap that the school supplies.
Success measures for the project include involvement from schools and businesses, greater community cohesion and spirit, backyard traps in most Onerahi homes and more native birds in Onerahi.
If you are keen to be involved in any of the above projects, please contact info@tiakinawhangarei.co.nz
