Zoology expert to speak in Tauranga
Pest control is always a subject to cause lively discussion and the Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust is delighted to have pest management expert and zoologist Alan Saunders as guest speaker at its annual meeting tonight.
The meeting is open to the public and will start at 7pm in the Coastguard Rooms, Sulphur Point, just beside the Tauranga Fishing Club. A gold coin donation would be welcome, supper is provided and there will be raffles and promotional material available.
This year marks 10 years since the Trust was set up to rescue the failing population of North Island Brown Kiwi in Otanewainuku Forest and restore the plant and birdlife which was being devastated by high pest numbers.
Trust chairman, Peter Crane said dramatic results had been achieved and the work continued with thousands of volunteer hours and commitment proving that pests could be controlled.
"Alan knows our local area well, as he was based in Tauranga in the 1980s and was responsible for the fauna survey of the Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat Values of the Mamaku Plateau report published in 1983. He has worked on a number of threatened species recovery projects and wildlife habitat surveys with the New Zealand Wildlife Service and its successor, the Department of Conservation."
Alan is a gifted and challenging speaker, always encouraging his audience to think 'outside the square' and he has the practical knowledge and experience to back up his words, having been involved in biodiversity conservation management and research for nearly 40 years," Mr Crane said.
For further information visit the Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust website www.kiwitrust.org or phone (07) 543 1441.
