Development Co-ordinator October Report

MET Baiting Day 25 Sept

We had a successful baiting day despite the miserable weather and have completed Pickfords and the Cell Tower baiting for the year. We filled approx.  340 bait stations each with 500g of Pindone.  Many thanks to our hard core volunteers who braved the rain and slippery tracks to get the job done and also a big thanks to the support  team manning the BBQ.

I will do the post operation rat monitors in these blocks next week and have fingers crossed for a zero monitor.

Many other landowners in the district have also completed their baiting which is a huge volunteer effort but is well worth it as it is the only way we can keep on top of the pest populations to give our birds a chance tobreed. MET also continues to co-ordinate the stoat trapping through a number of properties and at present we have 15 volunteers checking about 150 traps extending from McIvor Rd up to Vern Gray's property. We still need more volunteers so if you are keen to help please let us know.

Peter F

Education Report -  October 2016

Highlights

We had a great visit from St Joseph school in Matata this month. The students were engaged and enthusiastic and knew the area quite well. It is nice to work with a very local school and I expect them to be back for more
visits or a camp in the future. 

The stream monitoring kit has now been completed and will be used next week, with the Whakatane Intermediate School. Water quality is an important topic because healthy bush needs healthy streams.

We are also in possession of 15 mattresses, with a further 15 to arrive very soon. This will enable us to host those schools that are too far away for a day visit.

Trident High school sent a delegation of Deputy Principals to look at our facilities. They clearly want to develop a long term relationship with our Trust. They will provide the man-power to do a working bee to get the
school house cleaned out and want to have both their prefect camp and their Year 9 introduction camps at our centre. These are annual events that we would be able to host. 

Upcoming visits

9-11 November, Whakatane Intermediate camp

14-15 November, Plant ID Training day, Kokako Trust

5-7 December, Tarawera High School year 7 camp.

25-27 January, Trident High School Prefects training.

Corporate Christmas Functions: I have had ongoing information request
for our Christmas functions, but no firm bookings. Could it be that this is a
bit like our 6 Hour Adventure race entries, all at the last minute? 

Liddy Bakker; email: educ.met@gmail.com  Ph: 0275699022 or check us out on Facebook