Waikato Regional Council’s model of a kauri tree, made by Wētā Workshop.
Two Waikato projects have won big at this year’s New Zealand Biosecurity Awards.
Waikato Regional Council’s kauri protection programme has won the Local and Central Government Award, while Maeroa Intermediate School has won the Biosecurity New Zealand Kura (School) Award for its Gully Restoration Project.
The school decided to rehabilitate the gully which had been a dumping ground for rubbish and was overgrown with invasive species which smothered the native plants.
The school turned it into an outdoor classroom and set up a nursery to grow plants.
Meanwhile, the council’s kauri protection programme involves several initiatives including providing cleaning stations, hygiene kits and equipment to community volunteer groups, plus funding to help landowners keep stock out of kauri areas by fencing.
The regional council team also launched a special virtual reality experience, Kauri Pou Kaitiaki, which immerses users in a 360-degree simulated world which highlights the cultural, spiritual and ecological significance of kauri trees and forests.
The VR experience featured a narrative rich in mātauranga and tikanga Māori concepts. The council also has a model of a kauri tree, created by Wētā Workshop, that staff take to local schools alongside the VR experience.
Waikato Regional Council Pest Plant team leader Darion Embling collected the award on behalf of the council.
“Our small kauri protection team aims to inspire and enable rural landowners, community groups, schools, iwi, stakeholders and industry groups to invest in a future that includes healthy kaurilands with giant kauri.”
He said the Waikato region had over 94,000 hectares of kaurilands. One of the areas with a multitude of kauri was The Manaia Kauri Sanctuary in the Coromandel which was home to more than 400 ancient kauri trees, some of which are over 1500 years old.
Embling said protecting kauri was important for the wider ecosystem.
“The survival of kauri is vital for the survival of other species that have evolved to live on or around them.”
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard said the awards celebrated inspiring and diverse initiatives which were making significant contributions to biosecurity in New Zealand.
“Our finalists and winners are undertaking groundbreaking science, research, and innovation.
“Their work is preserving and restoring New Zealand’s landscapes, empowering local community groups, fostering innovation, improving pest management practices, and boosting awareness and understanding of biosecurity throughout New Zealand.”
MPI Biosecurity Award winners 2024
● Minister’s Biosecurity Award
Dr Brian Richardson – Scion
● New Zealand Biosecurity Supreme Award
Ngā Hāpu o Te Rāwhiti, Ngāti Kuta rāua Ko Patukeha – R.E.P NZ
● BioHeritage Challenge Community Award
Ōkārito GorseBusters Charitable Trust – Ōkārito GorseBusters
● New Zealand Biosecurity Māori Award
Ngā Hāpu o Te Rāwhiti, Ngāti Kuta rāua Ko Patukeha – R.E.P NZ
● New Zealand Biosecurity Kura (School) Award
Maeroa Intermediate School – Maeroa Intermediate Gully Restoration Project
● GIA Industry Award
VeritAg – Bringing the Private Sector into the M. bovis Programme
● Eagle Technology Local and Central Government Award
Waikato Regional Council – Kauri Protection Programme
● New Zealand Biosecurity Science Award
Cawthron Institute – Marine Biosecurity Toolbox Research Programme
● Mondiale VGL Innovation Award
TEcoNet Charitable Trust – The innovative EcoNet CAMS Weeds toolkit
● AsureQuality Emerging Leader Award
Keeley Grantham – Te Arawa Lakes Trust
Danielle Zollickhofer is a multimedia journalist and assistant news director at the Waikato Herald. She joined NZME in 2021 and is based in Hamilton.
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