News and Events - Waikato Biodiversity Forum

Te Taiao Collectives – Communities Joining Forces for Ecosystem Restoration

Leave a Comment / Ecosystems, Restoration Tips / By Sam Mcelwee

Community-based restoration and regeneration are increasingly common pathways for collective action on interconnected social and environmental issues. As community initiatives gain pace, the need for collaborative efforts that operate at landscape scales has grown. Restoration collectives have emerged as important organisations that aim to connect and support diverse community entities to work together toward shared …

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Kahikatea Green Wheel

Leave a Comment / Restoration Tips / By Sam Mcelwee

The Kahikatea Green Wheel can help you if you are: currently restoring or planning to restore a kahikatea forest patch on your land. managing a reserve or covenant with kahikatea forest. needing to show funders you are making a difference. wanting to check on the health of your kahikatea forest patch, or track how your …

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Piako Catchment Forum

Leave a Comment / Group Feature / By Sam Mcelwee

The Piako Catchment Forum is a community-based organisation aiming to achieve ‘A thriving community for a sustainable future’ They began with a few farmers, a planter, a teacher and Waikato Regional Council staff member sitting around a bar leaner in mid 2016 in Morrinsville with the goal of uniting our community around our waterways. By …

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Pukatea – Laurelia novae-zelandiae

Leave a Comment / Species Feature / By Sam Mcelwee

The Pukatea (Laurelia novae-zelandiae) tree is typically found in swampy forests, but can also be seen growing on hillsides up to 600m throughout the North Island and to 200m in it’s Southern limits of Marlborough in the east and almost to the bottom of the West Coast of the South Island. In the Waikato, Pukatea …

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Predator Free Hamilton

Leave a Comment / Group Feature / By Sam Mcelwee

The Predator Free Hamilton Trust was established in 2016 to work with Hamilton residents, institutions and agencies to encourage and coordinate the effective and humane control and eradication of predator species within the city. The Trusts members have a wealth of experience and are committed to effective predator control. Hamilton boasts an extensive gully system …

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WETMAK – Wetlands Monitoring and Assessment Kit

Leave a Comment / Restoration Tips / By Sam Mcelwee

WETMAK is an online resource aimed at community groups working on wetland restoration projects in New Zealand. Are you making a difference? If the answer is yes, do you know how well you are doing… can you quantify progress? Which aspects are performing better than others and where should you focus future effort? If you …

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Native Forest and Scrub

Leave a Comment / Ecosystems / By @digitalstream

Tall evergreen rainforest clothed more than 70% of the Waikato Region prior to human settlement. Forest composition varied mainly with altitude, topography and latitude. Coastal forests were dominated by pohutukawa and had other frost intolerant trees such as karaka, puriri and kohekohe. Lowlands were mainly covered in conifer-broadleaved forest with rimu and tawa most prominent. …

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Wetlands (Swamps and Bogs)

Leave a Comment / Ecosystems / By @digitalstream

Swamps and bogs are permanently or temporarily wet areas supporting plants and animals specially adapted to wet conditions. The types of plants and animals found in swamps and bogs depend on the water – its amount, depth, permanence, temperature, the chemicals found in it and its source – groundwater, surface water or rainwater. Swamps and …

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Mahoenui giant wētā

Leave a Comment / Species Feature, Stories / By @digitalstream

In 1962 a population of giant wētā were discovered in remnant patches of tawa forest at Mahoenui in the southern King Country. More wētā were found on farmland reverting to gorse in 1987. It’s likely that the wētā were once present throughout the lowland forests of Waikato. Mahoenui giant wētā lay their eggs by pushing …

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Owhango Alive

Leave a Comment / Group Feature, Stories / By @digitalstream

Owhango Alive was formed in 2011 by a group of local residents concerned about the lack of birdlife in the Ohinetonga Reserve. Our group’s mission is to protect and enhance the environment of the Ohinetonga Reserve, Whakapapa River and Owhango village for the benefit of the native flora and fauna and the enjoyment of locals …

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