Conservation group gears-up for new initiatives

A Tāwharanui Peninsula-based conservation collective recently marked 10 years as an incorporated society and voted in a new chair.

Takatu LandCare (TLC) was established to create a pest-controlled buffer zone for the Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary, and boost and protect native wildlife populations across the peninsula.

Last month, TLC’s chair of four years, Jon Monk, retired and Buckleton Bay resident John McIntyre was elected chairperson. John is a trustee of Mahurangi Wastebusters Charitable Trust and ex-officio director of Mahurangi Wastebusters Ltd, which manages the Auckland Council-owned Warkworth and Wellsford community recycling centres.

John says Jon Monk and the TLC committee’s work over the past year gained impetus with the commissioning an audit of the peninsula identifying important ecological sites, the commencement of a pilot restoration project on one of the identified sites, and a more concerted push to control invasive weeds.

“I’m thrilled to take on the chair’s role at a time of such momentum and to push these initiatives forward. All of TLC is committed to ensuring that native wildlife flourishes on the peninsula and surrounding areas,” John McIntyre says.

Previously, TLC’s main focus was supporting the trapping of mustelids, possums and rats, catching more than 11,000 since records began in 2017.

TLC is a collective of nine community conservation groups, volunteers and supporters. For more information contact John at: takatulandcare.chairperson@gmail.com