The first of up to 20 adult kōkako from the Hunua Ranges will be released on Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari today.
The calm after the storm and hours of work clearing tree fall and fixing the pest-proof fence at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.
Chief executive Helen Hughes said the birds would assist the mountain’s kōkako breeding programme.
Speaking after the first Waipa District Council Maungatautari Reserve Committee meeting of the year, Hughes said Sanctuary Mountain was licensed for up to 20 adult birds, but that did not mean it would definitely receive 20.
Department of Conservation representative Niwha Jones left Monday’s meeting with a message for conservation minister Tama Potaka from Waipā district councillor Dale-Maree Morgan
Dale-Maree Morgan
“Go back and tell that minister of yours he needs to do better,” she said.
The operator of the world’s largest predator proof fence made a $580,000 loss last financial year after the Department of Conservation withdrew one revenue stream from the project also funded by the council alongside Waikato Regional Council.
Jones did not answer Morgan’s criticism or take any part in the committee meeting which lasted about 90 minutes.
But Potaka told The News in a statement that Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust Sanctuary did great mahi for precious native species.
Conservation minister Tama Potaka
“In February, I announced $750,000 funding from the International Visitor Levy to support their efforts. Department of Conservation – Te Papa Atawhai staff have agreed high-level allocation of funding for the threatened species and will transfer those funds in July,” he said.
“Local DOC staff are in regular contact with trust representatives about how the department can provide further non-financial support to protect the significant biodiversity values and threatened taonga species at the sanctuary.”
The sanctuary relies on the integrity of its fence, which is under constant pressure.
Predator incursions had increased to 20 this year, and one fence breach repaired this month following a tree fall.
Helen Hughes at Maungatautari. Photo: Chris Gardner
The number of mountain rangers has dropped from 14 two years ago to four and two are on call all the time to deal with fence breaches.
Hughes is interviewing to fill four vacancies to bring ranger numbers up to eight.
She told the committee the trust was seeking to recoup last year’s loss through the sale of 2024 vintage carbon credits at $12 per hectare.
“We are hoping that this will go well,” she said.
“We would be looking at cost recovery on that loss that we made last year.”
Hughes has appointed a part time tourism manager who was looking at doubling visitor numbers to raise revenue. In 2023-24 20,145 people visited the maunga.
A $20,000 advertising grant from WEL Energy Trust was helping achieve that goal. A 24 per cent visitor increase coincided with last summer’s advertising campaign.
“Advertising works, that’s our focus,” she said.
Hughes was reviewing visitor flow after engaging a workflow consultant and considering how best to utilise the attraction’s lower car park.
She was also looking at training the maunga’s 30 volunteer guides to deliver a consistent guided tour
Roger Gordon
.
“Our focus, at the moment, is trying to get the basics right.”
Maungatautari Marae representative Poto Davies asked Hughes what involvement mana whenua had in her plans.
The development of a new “moa hunter” tour was underway, Hughes said, and 10 pou (or posts) would mark the track.
Hughes said the Kiwi population was close to capacity, with around 3000 living on the moana.
Philip Coles
Davies suggested cultural harvesting, a suggestion Hughes said she had heard before.
Waipā councillor Roger Gordon praised Hughes for the direction she is taking the organisation in.
“It’s really great,” he said.
He suggested Hughes connect with what he cheekily called Waipā Airport and Cambridge-based Rural Tours to increase tourism traffic.
Fellow Waipā councillor Philip Coles offered to run walking tours over the mountain.
The committee also heard how land covenant negotiations with neighbouring landowners had stalled.
Davies wanted to know why negotiations with the largest landowner, mana whenua, had been left to last.
Council customer and community services group manager Sally Sheedy said the council had not had the resources to get to them sooner.
Kiwi on Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari
