MU-H Marahau to Riwaka

Tasman Environmental Trust is very pleased to announce that they have had approved a grant from the DOC Community Fund to assist landowners to carry out pest vine (Old man’s beard and Banana passion vine) and wilding Douglas Fir control work. Another grant has also been approved, to be used in conjunction with the DOC grant, for this work from the Special Projects Fund administered by the Motueka Community Board.

The area of the grant will cover from the Riwaka River east bank up to the Moss Scenic Reserve on the western end up to the boundary of Abel Tasman National Park in Marahau in the east.

The properties that will benefit from the grant will be those between the coast and part of the way up the Takaka hill, either side of State Highway 60, and those accessed by the roads from Riwaka to Marahau, either the inland or the coastal routes. The project focuses on a specific area (the lower altitude half of MU-H) and will expect to assist up to 40 of the 60 larger properties (which are over 10ha) from the Riwaka River to Marahau and the boundary with ATNP. Some smaller properties will be included as well or assisted with gel bottles and advice. If there is enough funding, we wish to assist all of the properties wanting help over the three years.

 Assessments were carried out earlier last year, funded by grants from TDC, Project Janszoon, NBS Motueka and the Motueka Community Board, with in-kind support from Landcare Trust. Attempts were made to reach as many landowners, with titles of greater than 1200m2, as possible, but there are still many who we could not contact.

If you have pest vines (Old man’s beard and Banana passion vine) and or wilding Douglas Fir on your property and want some assistance, but we did not make contact with you, please email our contractor for the work –

Project De-Vine Trust e: admin@projectde-vinetrust.org.nz

or you can phone their office 03-929-7518. If you can state your name, address and contact details that will make the contractor’s work much easier.

There will be a working bee in the autumn to familiarise landowners who attend with the cut and paste technique to kill pest vines and free bottles of gel will be given out to any who want them. Details or where and when will be in the media beforehand.

Some survey assessment work is planned for the larger pine plantations by helicopter.