About
Learn about the History and Responsibilities of the Mahinepua Radar Hill Landcare Group.
About Us
A Registered Charity, the MRHLG project commenced in 2002. It is an ongoing project, its’ goals aligned with the NZ Biodiversity Action Plan 2016-2020.
Membership in the project is voluntary. As a charity, we rely on our members to provide support to run the group, assist with trapping, and support us financially. In return for your financial support, our aim is, members benefit in terms of predator control or habitat restoration tools for their property. We have been pleased to see a significant increase in our membership levels during 2022.
New members are very welcome. All landowners who reside within our area (see map) are eligible to become members. We hold an Annual General Meeting in January and regular committee meetings throughout the year.
People outside the project area who want to be involved can join as ‘Friends’ of the Group.
Annual subscription fees:
Full Membership $60.00
Friends of the Group $20.00
Mahinepua Radar Hill Landcare Group Inc. is registered with the Charities Commission, Number CC 42272.
Donations to support the group work are greatly appreciated all year round. Donations are eligible for tax relief. We provide all donors with a receipt for tax purposes.
Mahinepua-Radar Hill Landcare Group has a management agreement with DOC that allows it to control pests and predators with Tauranga Valley Scenic Reserve and Mahinepua Peninsula. MRHLG is about to also work as kaitiaki on the Mahinepua Peninsula in conjunction with Mahinepua Maori Reserves Trust. The committee benefits hugely from DOC’s Bay of Islands Area Office staff, whose can do attitude toward solving problems and creating opportunities is invaluable.
Funding
Historically funding for the Mahinepua Radar Hill Landcare Group has come from a number of sources, including.
MRHLG’s partnerships and stakeholders have been:
- World Wildlife Fund – Community Conservation Fund
- Bank of New Zealand Save the Kiwi Trust
- Department of Conservation – Community Fund
- Save the Kiwi – Formerly Kiwis for Kiwi
- Far North District Council – Significant Natural Areas Fund
- Northland Regional Council – Environmental Fund
- ASB Bank Community Trust
- Foundation North
Our current funders are Save the Kiwi and the Department of Conservation.
Funding primarily pays for our predator control program, a Professional Trapper and trap equipment. Our trapper services and maintains traplines, predator traps and lays poison for pests.
Additional funds pay for Kiwi population surveys and two monitored Kiwis. We are the only voluntary Landcare group in the far North that holds a permit for Kiwis to wear monitors. The information gained is critical to the national Kiwi database of the distribution, age and sex structure of the kiwi population as we face climate change. The information gained from population surveys and the monitored Kiwis is a tool to demonstrate to our funders that:
- Our predator control is working
- Chicks survive to adulthood
- Kiwi numbers are increasing by our target of 2% per annum.
Please, contact us if you have any suggestions on any funding sources we might be eligible to apply for.
Project Goals
The project goals are to restore, protect and enhance the habitat of native flora and fauna, (especially the Kiwi and Kukupa) within the Mahinepua & Tauranga Bay catchments, by eliminating the population of predatory and/or introduced plants and animals. Also to raise community awareness to the presence of rare endangered species and reduce the threats to their survival by enlisting the help of the local community.
Helpers Caitlin and Brittany, working alongside Jo and Gerlinde, counting plants in a 1x1m quadrant. This is part of an ongoing programme that we use to establish the impact of pests and predators on kiwi habitat
Marj (longstanding past secretary) with her award at Northland Good Egg 2019