A Taranaki environmental group has made substantial progress in its decades-long conservation efforts with support from Lotto NZ players.
A group of locals set out on a mission 20 years ago to protect the area’s wildlife by fostering a safe natural environment, where native species could thrive free from the threats of introduced pests.
The East Taranaki Environment Collective (ETEC) was formed not long afterwards and has since become one of Aotearoa’s leading community-based conservation initiatives.
With backing from Te Puna Tahu Lottery Grants Board, the collective has undertaken an extensive pest management programme and one of the largest community environmental projects in the country.
Spaces for indigenous species to thrive
The scheme has successfully reduced predation on native fauna in the region and has helped native biodiversity flourish.
It covers 18,000 hectares of East Taranaki with controls for mustelids, such as stoats and ferrets, and also includes intensive rat and possum ground control across 1000 hectares of the Pouiatoa conservation area.
Conservation Manager Kathryn Strang said the programme’s network of traps and ground control methods have helped create a haven where endemic species such as kiwi, kōkako, and the New Zealand long-tailed bat can thrive.
“Being out in the field and seeing new kōkako in the population, kiwi prints on the ground, hearing robins and tomtits throughout the forest, and knowing that it’s the pest control efforts from the team and the community that made this happen, makes it all worth it for us,” she said.
Preserving taonga for future generations
Looking ahead, ETEC said it aims to expand the scope and impact of its efforts to ensure East Taranaki’s natural heritage remains preserved for decades to come.
Lotto NZ celebrated its sustainability wins, saying each time a game is played, “it’s a win for our environment, and it’s a win for our native species”.
“This is just one example of the incredible causes happening in your community, with 100% of Lotto New Zealand’s profits going back to support thousands of great causes all over Aotearoa,” it said.
ETEC Chairperson Rob Maetzig is grateful for the grant funding from Lotto NZ and emphasised its significance in reducing the threats to native fauna and increasing native biodiversity.
“We rely heavily on funding support to carry out our important work, and lottery funding has been instrumental for us to continue protecting and restoring our environment for future generations,” he said.
Strang also thanked Lotto NZ players for supporting ETEC’s efforts, saying that “because of that funding, the Trust is able to safeguard our taonga (treasured) species for our future generations”.
This content was sponsored by Lotto NZ. Read more Local Grants recipient stories on Lotto NZ’s Community Winners page.
