Site Blessing for the Ablution Pod

The blessing was performed by kaumatua Rukatai Watenei with support from Graeme Young, Nicola Coogan from Ngati Ruanui iwi 

People who attended included included Scott Nelson from Fonterra, Doug Hutchinson, Jan Dunlop and Nigel Kareko from the the NLW, Rob Haveswood, Colin Dudley, Teao Mulligan and Ella Borrows from the STDC

Matuku-hūrepo

 Rare Birds Find Safe Haven

See video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vpqO1_visY

Jenny Kerrisk hid and waited for hours to photograph one of the shy Matuku-hūrepo (Australasian bittern) now living at Nowell's Lakes, Hāwera. Years of riparian planting around the Nowell’s Lakes walkway near Hāwera have paid off with the discovery that a colony of critically endangered birds have moved in.

Although Matuku-hūrepo are very well camouflaged and will freeze when approached, South Taranaki bird enthusiast Jenny Kerrisk was able to snap photographs of some of them by patiently waiting for hours. With 90% of the wetland habitat they live in lost across the country, the birds were classed as nationally critical or near to extinction.  It was not known how many were currently left, but the last count done in 1980 tallied just 700 birds across the North and South Islands.

New Signage For The Walkway

New signage has been erected at the start of the Walkway explaining to visitors that the Nowell’s Lakes are home to a number of native wetland birds including the “Nationally Critical” Matuku (Australasian bittern).  The Matuku are extremely sensitive to disturbance and if approached, they will either try to ‘steal away’ silently or freeze, standing with an erect neck and bill. The signage was sponsored by "Wild for Taranaki". 

Planting Day 2022

The Horticultural Class of the Hawera High School under the guidance of teacher Malcolm McKercher planted out 300 native trees in the upstream development area.  They had selected the planting sites themselves and had spot sprayed each site a few weeks before in preparation for the planting.  Well done!

Church Group Planting 2021

Chester Borrows QSM, arranged an outing for a few young families of his church group.  He thought it a good idea to to get them get them out in the fresh air by planting a few trees at the Walkway.  In doing so they got some understanding of  the environment, had a lot of fun, a run around and a picnic after. 

 Thank you Chester and families.

  

Planting Day 2020

12th August 2020:  This year we were gifted 500 native trees from the STDC though their environmental and sustainability manger Rebecca Martin and were planted out with the help of about 20 good workers including Lions Club members, Fonterra Staff, Trustees and students from the Hawera High School. 

Wldflower Planting

Our new planting of Wildflowers all ready for the summer of 2020.   You will find them by going into the down stream Walkway area, then a quick runup of the stairaways to the right   

Koromiko Kindy Paper for Trees

26^th of June 2019: The children of the Koromiko Kindergarten along with teachers and parents visited the Walkway today to plant native trees that they had earnt through their “paper for trees” program.  Here is a Pohutukawa tree as selected by this family to be planted and cared for by them.    

HHS Biodiversity Study

Throughout this coming year, a group of students from the Hawera High School and their Science Teacher Anna Campbell will be investigating invertebrates within the wetland areas of the Nowell’s Lakes Walkway.  

Dr Josephine Fitness, Ecological Contractor, is the lead person for the project who was one of the main people who secured funding through Curious Minds to enable Anna's team to carry out this very important study. 

This will involve them setting up tracking tunnels and insect pitfall traps.  They will also set up measuring equipment for the stream's water levels, water temperature and pH, also soil and air temperatures.  This data, along the type of insects trapped, will then be compared with the same data that is being collected from a more established local wetland protected area at Lake Rotokare.  

The project will generate biodiversity records to measure the changes over time, an important factor in gauging the success of habitat restoration. The students will be working alongside restoration practitioners to learn about the important work that is being done to restore these important sites that protect our insects and waterways.

The trapping areas will be clearly identified with signage and we ask the public to please stay clear of these areas

HCS Thank You

Douglas Hutchinson of the Nowell’s Lakes Walkway Trust attended school today to say thank you to the Habitat Heroes for their help at the Walkway during 2018 and for the on-growing native seedlings at the school.