Transpower Grants 2005

1. Tongariro Natural History Society
   
   Transpower funds were used to help restore the Alpine Garden that was established by a ranger and members of the Wanganui Tramping Club in the early 70s.  The Alpine Garden forms the entrance and start to the Nature Trail at Whakapapa in Tongariro National Park, a world heritage site.  As a short walk it introduces thousands of visitors and local school children to the alpine environment.
   
   Transpower Grant $9,621.00
   
2. Mangaroa Ohutu Trust
   
   The Mangaroa Ohutu Trust was awarded the final sum needed to ensure a Kokako translocation could proceed.  The grant funds are being put to the construction of a "holding aviary" where a pair of Kokako will be "held" to provide an acoustic anchor for the other 19 pairs that will be released directly into the wild.  Kokako seek other Kokako and may fly to areas where predator control has not been as great.  Using this technique it is hoped that the unrestrained Kokako will not move out of hearing range and, more importantly, that they will settle and establish their own territories.  The translocation reinforces the links between Te Whanau a Apanio and Tuhoe.  It has been helped by Nga Whenua Rahui a DOC division that works to increase conservation practises on Maori land.
   
   Transpower Grant $3,644.00

3. Andrea Dekrout - PhD Student, University of Auckland
   
   Andrea is passionate about ensuring the survival of New Zealand's long-tailed bat.  With development typifying 75% of the Waikato and the remaining undeveloped land disproportionately found in upland areas, the survival of endangered endemic lowland fauna such as the threatened long-tailed bats rely on gathering information about their behaviour and ecology.  Andrea received Transpower funds to enable her to proceed with her project which aimed to provide information about urban long-tailed bats on which a management plan could be built to help maintain long-tailed bats in modified habitats.
   
   Transpower Grant $8,570.00

4. Friends of Mangarakau Swamp
   
   Friends of Mangarakau Swamp received funds to enable their much needed Ramsar designation application to go ahead.  The Convention on Wetlands, which signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971 is an inter-governmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international co-operation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.  In New Zealand some 90% of original wetlands have been destroyed - one of the highest losses in the world.  Wetlands are among the most important ecosystems on Earth.  They control water quality and quantity, regulate global carbon levels, have signficant cultural and recreational values and provide habitate for flora and fauna.  This community group has been working to restore and rebuild Mangarakau and were thrilled that the project could go ahead and therefore gain international recognition and status.
   
   Transpower Grant $8,000.00

5. Tui Trust
   
   The Tui Trust sought a Transpower Grant to help establish riparian planting along the 1.5km section of the Mangapeehi stream that runs through Te Kuiti.  The effort was to stablise stream margins with flood tolerant native species throughout the community reserve and private properties.  The project aimed also to rebuild a sense of pride in their community - a former milling and mining town in the headwaters of the Mokau River.
   
   Transpower Grant $7,500.00

6. Te Kauri Waikuku Trust
   
   The Trust spearheads ecological restoration, species recovery and environmental education in the Te Kauri Park Scenic Reserve.  The project aimed to provide schoolchildren with valuable outdoor camp experiences linked to the Park area where significant restoration has already taken place.  The Transpower Grant was used to create tracks throughout a grid pattern to facilitate pest control.
   
   Transpower Grant $12,665.00
   
7. Rangitaiki Area Office - DOC

   Transpower Grants were called upon to assist with the translocation of Weka back to Whirinaki forest.  The aim was to establish a new population of North Island Weka in a non-drought prone and protected larger forest area on the mainland within an existing protection project.  The North Island Weka has a threatened status of nationally endangered.  If the Weka are successfully establised at Whirinaki Forest they ahve the potential to colonise a large area in the Eastern Bay of Plenty
   
   Transpower Grant $10,000.00