Award Nominee

As part of my duties for the QE2 National Trust, I monitor many open space covenants throughout the Kaipara District. Two of these covenants (QE2 file # 5/02/146 & 5/02/137) are situated approximately 500m directly south of the Paparoa township, and provide a pleasant view from the highway.

The larger of the two blocks (semi-coastal secondary podocarp/hardwood native forest) contains of a very old Pa site, about which local iwi have very little historical knowledge. The Pa site and some and some of its history is mentioned in a book titled Seven lives on a salt river , written by historian, Dick Smith of Pahi.

The local Lions club have, for approximately fifteen years now, constructured bridges, boardwalks and walkways from the township to the two covenants. They have monthly working bees for weed control, track work and pest control throughout the two covenants.

The legal owner is a Dr Douglas Sherwin of Devonport, Auckland. The Sherwins have sharemilkers on the rest of the farm, but have little input to the maintenance of the bush blocks. This makes the regular maintenance by the Lions of even more value.

The Lions have also undertaken plantings of native seedlings, and considerable weed control work on the access walkway and particularly on the area between the two blocks, which has a problem with gorse, blackberry, privet, pampas, periwinkle and tradescantia. Without the Lions effort the walkway would by now, probably be overgrown with weeds, and access would be difficult. Regular mowing of the walkway has been undertaken, and ongoing spraying of weeds is conducted.

The area has many visitors, ranging from overseas tourists to school groups, and feedback and benefits to the local community are very favourable.

Because of their excellent efforts, the Lions have formed a good working relationship with the QE2 Trust. When required, the QE2 Trust, via the regional and district council s environmental funding programmes, applies for weed and pest control materials.

Without the Lions effort much of this native bush would be inaccessible to the public, which would also have a negative impact on the local community s economics, particularly regarding the tourism aspect.

The work done, and future programmes regarding weed control by the Lions, is greatly appreciated by the QE2 Trust, and as area rep, I have seen little to compare with the Lions effort in the Kaipara district.

Nick Matich, QEII National Trust (nominator)