Think Global - September 2010

ARC purchases Rodney park

The Auckland Regional Council (ARC) has today announced the purchase of its final regional park, Te Muri Regional Park. Fittingly, it is the neighbour to the first regional park ever purchased, at Wenderholm in 1965.

The new block at Te Muri on the Mahurangi coast has a boundary on the northern side of the Puhoi River and is only 30 minutes from Auckland’s CBD. It backs onto Te Muri Beach, a 1km sandy beach already owned by the ARC, and will be named Te Muri Regional Park.

Fertiliser drop no risk to fairy terns

An aerial drop of fertiliser over the Mangawhai Harbour spit ruffled a few feathers last month.

Anxious onlookers, gathered on the beach, voiced concerns that poison was being dropped over the Spit, the breeding ground of the critically endangered fairy tern and vulnerable New Zealand dotterel. However, Harbour Restoration Society publicity officer Loraine Hartley was quick to reassure locals that the society was carrying out a “carefully controlled” fertiliser drop.

Mangawhai Harbour improvements push on

Along with the on-going maintenance of Mangawhai Harbour and establishing a fore-dune system on Mangawhai Spit, the Harbour Restoration Society is planning two initiatives to improve the upper harbour area.

Pupils dig in to plant trees

Tauhoa School's senior and middle rooms recently returned to Atiu Creek Regional Park to plant 600 more natives in an area adopted by the school two years ago.

More stories

• Tawharanui marine reserve approved
• Volunteers help beautify parks
• Teaching with trash
• Kumarahou inspires art competition
• Local Weedbusters thanked
• Possum purge
• Foreshore guardians on duty
• In step with environmental issues
• Heritage funded
• Mangrove management funds