Art and nature go hand-in-hand

By Sharon Kast

This month’s highlight was the photographic confirmation that the red crowned kakariki are breeding in the park.

Kakariki were transferred from Hauturu (Little Barrier Island) to Tawharanui in 2009. TOSSI provided partial funding for this translocation and although breeding was suspected, it had never been confirmed until now. There is a huge team of unsung heroes behind the scenes of a translocation. Researchers spend time patiently studying the birds so that the survival programmes can be based on good science. TOSSI’s  nursery team collects seed sourced from the park and prepares 20,0000 plants each year for planting by volunteers to create habitat for the native species to breed and flourish. Volunteers spend hundreds of hours eradicating weeds and controlling pests, as well as monitoring the predator-proof fence. Auckland Council rangers are key players and often go far beyond the call of duty to keep the park a safe haven.

But translocations are expensive and TOSSI helps with funding in many ways, and next month is no exception.

TOSSI’s largest fundraising event, Art in the Woolshed, will take place from March 10 to 18, open daily from 10am to 4pm at Tawharanui. Staging an event as large and complex as this places heavy demands on TOSSI volunteers. We are fortunate to have someone of Alison Stanes’ calibre as art coordinator, involved since its inception. It has been 10 years since TOSSI helped to raise funds for a pest-proof fence across the end of Tawharanui Peninsula. The first translocation was kiwi followed by green and forest geckos, robin, whitehead, pateke and red crowned kakariki, while the bellbirds and kaka returned unassisted. The funds raised at this year’s art exhibition will go towards the translocation of tieke, also known as saddleback.

Thankfully, the unsealed road to Tawharanui has been widened and improved just in time for the exhibition.

Admission is free and exhibiting artists are listed at www.tossi.org.nz. If you would like to help in the woolshed main gallery, artist shop or sculpture garden, contact Patte Williams at 425 9127.

Work days

Mark in your diary Saturday and Sunday, March 3 and 4. Meet at 9.15am in the woolshed and help us prepare for the art exhibition. Traditional areas of the working woolshed will be transformed into pristine gallery space and outdoor sculptures will make use of the glorious backdrops of Jones Bay lagoon. A BBQ will be held on the Sunday workday. There’s plenty of jobs for everyone so please come along and get involved. All welcome.

Pictured: This James Wright sculpture will be on the sculpture walk around the lagoon area.


Published 15 February 2012