Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has announced two new International Visitor Levy (IVL) investments while in the Waikato, today \u2014 funding to protect the Whangamarino wetland, and further work to maximise breeding opportunities for the M\u0101hoenui giant w\u0113t\u0101 at Otorohanga Kiwi House.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are serious about protecting and restoring New Zealand\u2019s taonga sites and taonga species now, and for future generations,\u201d Mr Potaka says.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is why we are committing $2 million over two years to kickstart work on the Whangamarino Action Plan and help restore the habitat as a Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar Site).<\/p>\n
\u201cWhangamarino is a under significant pressure due to a history of drainage and frequent flood events. Working with Iwi and stakeholders, the aim is to improve water level management for biodiversity conservation and improved water quality, and to recognising the role of the wetland in natural flood management.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdditionally, we are granting the M\u0101hoenui giant w\u0113t\u0101 captive breeding work at Otorohanga Kiwi House, which is carried in partnership with Te Whare o M\u014dkau ki Runga (Ng\u0101ti Maniapoto), $75,000 from the IVL.<\/p>\n
\u201cW\u0113t\u0101 are a unique breed of insect only found in New Zealand, and our giant w\u0113t\u0101, particularly the M\u0101hoenui variety, hold a very special place in the insect kingdom.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re one of the heaviest and toughest insect species in the world, but also one of the most endangered.<\/p>\n
\u201cOtorohanga Kiwi House has been doing fantastic work to breed giant w\u0113t\u0101 for release. With this IVL support \u2014 and what will hopefully be a successful breeding season \u2014 we hope to see more w\u0113t\u0101 in the wild.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whangamarino Wetlands<\/p>\n
Whangamarino is an internationally significant Ramsar wetland in north Waikato.
\nWithout urgent intervention, the deteriorating state of Whangamarino will decline further.
\nIVL investment will enable work at Whangamarino on ecological restoration through the development of critical infrastructure to improve the management of water levels, improve water quality, and reduce the presence of pest koi carp.<\/p>\n
Otorohanga Kiwi House captive M\u0101hoenui giant w\u0113t\u0101 breeding programme<\/p>\n
IVL funding will boost Otorohanga Kiwi House\u2019s captive breeding programme, which is essential for restoring population of the w\u0113t\u0101 in the wild.
\nThe programme, which is delivered in partnership with Te Whare o M\u014dkau ki Runga, has successfully bred over 300 M\u0101hoenui giant w\u0113t\u0101 in captivity since 2021, helping secure the future of one of New Zealand\u2019s most threatened invertebrate species.<\/p>\n
He p\u016btea hou m\u014d Whangamarino me t\u0113tahi ng\u0101ngara matarahi<\/p>\n
N\u014d te rangi tonu nei ka p\u0101nui atu te Minita Wh\u0101omoomo a Tama Potaka i \u0113tahi haumitanga hou n\u014d te International Visitor Levy (te IVL) n\u014dna i Waikato \u2014 he p\u016btea t\u0113nei hei whakahaumaru i te k\u016bk\u016bwai o Whangamarino, hei tautoko hoki i te mahi whakawh\u0101nui ake i ng\u0101 \u0101heitanga whakatupu m\u014d te w\u0113t\u0101 punga M\u0101hoenui ki te Whare Kiwi o \u014ctorohanga.<\/p>\n
\u201cE aro kau ana m\u0101tou ki te whakahaumaru, ki te t\u0101mata hoki i ng\u0101 w\u0101hi taonga o Aotearoa me ng\u0101 momo taonga hoki, m\u014d t\u0113nei w\u0101, m\u014d ng\u0101 reanga o muri hoki,\u201d hei t\u0101 Potaka.<\/p>\n
\u201cKoin\u0101 m\u0101tou e whakarite nei i te 2 miriona t\u0101ra m\u014d ng\u0101 tau e rua e t\u016b mai nei, hei t\u012bmata i te mahi whakatinana i te Whangamarino Action Plan, hei \u0101whina hoki ki te t\u0101mata i te taiao kia noho ai te k\u016bk\u016bwai hei Wetland of International Importance (hei Ramsar Site).<\/p>\n
\u201cE t\u0101mia kinotia ana a Whangamarino n\u0101 runga i te kaha whakaawatia o te k\u016bk\u016bwai i roto i ng\u0101 tau, n\u0101 te nui hoki o ng\u0101 waipuke. M\u0101 te mahi tahi me ng\u0101 iwi me ng\u0101 kirip\u0101nga, ko te wh\u0101inga ko te whakapai ake i te whakahaere i te nui o te wai m\u014d te wh\u0101omoomo rerenga rauropi te take me te whakapiki i te kounga o te wai, ko te whakam\u0101rama atu hoki i t\u014d te k\u016bk\u016bwai w\u0101hanga i te whakahaere \u0101-taiao i ng\u0101 waipuke.<\/p>\n
\u201cHei t\u0101piri, ka utua hoki te mahi whakatupu i ng\u0101 w\u0113t\u0101 punga M\u0101hoenui e noho ana ki te Whare Kiwi o \u014ctorohanga, e whakahaere tahitia ana t\u0113nei kaupapa ki te taha o Te Whare o M\u014dkau ki Runga (Ng\u0101ti Maniapoto), ki te 75,000 t\u0101ra n\u014d te IVL.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe momo ng\u0101ngara motuhake te W\u0113t\u0101 e kitea ana ki Aotearoa anake, ka mutu ko te w\u0113t\u0101 punga, inar\u0101 ko te momo M\u0101hoenui, he w\u0101hanga whakahirahira t\u014d t\u0113nei momo ki roto i te m\u0101t\u0101muatanga ng\u0101rara.<\/p>\n
\u201cKo ng\u0101 w\u0113t\u0101 \u0113tahi o ng\u0101 momo ng\u0101rara taumaha rawa, p\u016bioio rawa i t\u0113nei ao, engari ko \u0113nei hoki \u0113tahi o ng\u0101 mea whakaraerae rawa.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn\u0101 te pai rawa atu o t\u0101 te Whare Kiwi ki \u014ctorohanga mahi ki te whakatupu i ng\u0101 w\u0113t\u0101 punga kia rite ai \u0113nei ng\u0101rara m\u014d te ngahere. M\u0101 te tautoko a te IVL \u2014 m\u0101 te pahawatanga hoki o t\u0113tahi w\u0101 whakatupu whaihua \u2014 ko te manako ia ka nui ake ng\u0101 w\u0113t\u0101 ka kitea r\u0101 ki roto i te ngahere.\u201d<\/p>\n
He kupu m\u0101 ng\u0101 \u0113tita:<\/p>\n
Ng\u0101 K\u016bk\u016bwai ki Whangamarino<\/p>\n
Ko Whangamarino t\u0113tahi k\u016bk\u016bwai kei te raki o Waikato, he k\u016bk\u016bwai whakahirahira \u0101-t\u0101w\u0101hi nei, \u0101-Ramsar nei hoki.
\nKi te kore he h\u0101paiora k\u014dhukihuki, ka h\u0113 k\u0113 atu te tauheketanga o te waiora ki Whangamarino.
\nM\u0101 te p\u016btea o IVL ka \u0101hei te mahi t\u0101mata hauropi ki Whangamarino m\u0101 roto mai i te waihanga i te t\u016b\u0101hanga whai tikanga hei whakakaha ake i te whakahaere i te nui o te wai, hei whakapai ake i te kounga o te wai, hei aukati hoki i te n\u014dhanga a ng\u0101 k\u012brearea koi ki t\u0113nei w\u0101hi.<\/p>\n
T\u0101 te Whare Kiwi ki \u014ctorohanga kaupapa whakatupu i ng\u0101 w\u0113t\u0101 punga M\u0101hoenui<\/p>\n
M\u0101 te haumitanga o IVL ka whakakahangia ake t\u0101 te Whare Kiwi ki \u014ctorohanga kaupapa whakatupu, he nui te w\u0101hanga o t\u0113nei kaupapa i te mahi whakaora i te taupori o ng\u0101 w\u0113t\u0101 e noho mohoao ana.<\/p>\n
E 300 ng\u0101 w\u0113t\u0101 punga M\u0101hoenui i wh\u0101nau mai ki roto i te whare nei, n\u0101 t\u0113nei kaupapa i p\u0113nei ai, \u0101, he mea whakahaere ng\u0101tahi t\u0113nei kaupapa ki te taha o Te Whare o M\u014dkau ki Runga, n\u0101 runga i t\u0113n\u0101, kua kaha k\u0113 atu te whaka\u016b i te anamata o t\u0113tahi o ng\u0101 momo ng\u0101ngara whakaraerae rawa atu ki Aotearoa nei.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has announced two new 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