Discover Waitomo’s Kaimahi for Nature crew from left: Stella Kinne, Carly McIlroy, Rena Morgan and Duncan Kruger. Photos Brianna Stewart
Planting thousands of trees, monitoring wētā and maintaining tracks are among some of the things a Waitomo-based team has done to support the environment this year.
But the Kaimahi for Nature crew working out of Discover Waitomo is expected to disband at the end of the month when the current funding round ends.
This year the team of four, with Rena Morgan in the co-ordinator’s role, has contributed to key conservation work while solidifying their own interests in helping the environment.
Discover Waitomo environmental manager Shannon Corkill said the Jobs for Nature funding, of which the organisation received two funding rounds from December 2020, allowed the company to save 35 jobs in the peak of the pandemic.
“This year the focus has changed from saving jobs to really nailing some conservation outcomes.”
Shannon said the crew worked closely with the local Department of Conservation team, Waikato Regional Council, local landowners, farmers, hapū and community members.
Last week they hit the ground on a patch of land known as Million Dollar Corner, between Waitomo Domain and the Waitomo Caves visitor car park.
There, they, alongside Waitomo Caves School students, regional council staff and Tourism Holdings Limited staff (Discover Waitomo’s parent company) planted 1500 trees.
“It’s a really special area obviously because of its visibility, but it’s also right along the awa, the river, and it links the cave to the community in a sense,” Shannon said.
“It was really overgrown with weeds in there and we decided we wanted to do a two-year project in there with the council; there has been a huge amount of work in the river restoration.”
Kaimahi for Nature crew member Stella Kinne sees her role as a way to give back while she is in New Zealand on a working holiday visa from Germany.
She said there were similarities and differences between conservation in the two countries, with more done in New Zealand about predator and weed control.
“It’s a completely different landscape for sure and different plants, but we have the same problems with invasive plants and with predators as well.
“It’s different predators, different plants, but [we have to do] the same projects to keep in control of that.
“It’s really cool to connect that together and I hope to do it more in future, because we all have the same aim to maintain diversity in nature.”
For Carly McIlroy, who has recently completed a Bachelor of Science at the University of Waikato, one of the most memorable experiences during her time on the crew was monitoring giant wētā in Māhoenui.
Duncan Kruger, from South Africa, said he studied zoology with the intention of focusing on research, but Kaimahi for Nature had broadened his perspectives on conservation work.
“Coming to New Zealand, I feel like ecology is where you can actually make a difference to what’s happening now.
“I would still like to do research to be able to better the state of what’s going to occur – like help people who are doing the work now to, in a couple years, do it more efficiently or in a safer way.
“But being boots on the ground is just the best feeling that you can get.”
He said discussing ecological projects with others doing similar work at conferences opened his eyes to the sheer number of people passionate about New Zealand’s environmental goals.
DOC’s Maniapoto operations manager Graham Kimber said his team was pleased to strengthen its relationship with THL through their conservation work together.
“We were pleased to be able to enhance our relationship with a key district stakeholder, having some of the THL team directly involved in conservation work around our area, broadening their skills, and – most crucially – keeping them employed and living in our district.
“It was important for the THL team to be able to stay here and our Jobs for Nature kaupapa allowed that.”
Graham said the effort put in by the Kaimahi for Nature team had been valuable for the conservation organisation and the team of four helped with key conservation work.
“We’re hugely appreciative of the effort they’ve put in and we’re particularly pleased to have built such a strong partnership in our district,” he said.
“It’s been a great example of how the tourism and conservation sectors can complement one another and result in job security, broadened skill sets for those employed through Jobs for Nature and deliver tangible benefits for the environment and protected species.”
Discover Waitomo would like to see the Kaimahi for Nature work continue past June 30, general manager Daniel Thorne said.
He acknowledged the “massive” contribution of the kaimahi group in the past three or so months.
“The programme really started about getting some great environmental outcomes and saving jobs, but I think in the journey we’ve just got so much more out of it than we imagined.
“So much so that we really want to continue it.
“The current deed ends June 30, so we’re just looking at how we need to continue this work in one way or another – but probably within a different funding format.
“It would be tragic for all this effort and work, the skills we’ve learned and gear we’ve accumulated and partnership we’ve made, to go to waste after we’ve built this platform to continue.”
