Chance to connect with nature in Rotorua for Conservation Week

Sudima Lake Rotorua hotel manager Atalo de la Rocha (left) and assistant manager Chris Fyfe encourage people to get involved. Photo / Stephen Parker

People can answer the call to connect with nature this Conservation Week, giving native species and natural landscapes a helping hand.

Conservation Week runs until Sunday. There will be a series of events and activities for people of all ages taking place in Rotorua, Tauranga and surrounding areas aimed at teaching people how to help turn around the loss of unique biodiversity.

These include native tree planting days, trap and tracking tunnel building, and litter pick up days.

New Zealand's native wildlife is in crisis with more than 4000 species threatened or at risk.

Some of our vulnerable species close to home include the kokako, the tarapuka (black- billed gull) and the weweia (dabchick).

A family-friendly activity day is being held on Sunday, September 23, at Okere Falls Scenic Reserve where people can become a Toyota Kiwi Guardian.

Rotorua Toyota branch manager Alistair Douglas is excited to support this event.

"This is a great opportunity for Toyota staff to be involved in a Conservation Week event promoting our local Toyota Kiwi Guardian site and encouraging families to explore our native forest".

There is also an opportunity to help with getting native plants in the ground at Lake Ngapouri today. The Sulphur Point Lakeside Clean-Up is being held today at 1pm, meeting at Sudima Lake Rotorua.

The working bee will end at about 3pm with afternoon refreshments.

Sudima Lake Rotorua hotel manager Atalo de la Rocha said clean-ups were a project the hotel had been doing twice a year for the past six years.

He said they usually did the clean-ups in February and March but, for the first time this year, decided to do it during Conservation Week.

De la Rocha said this year they had invited the community and other businesses to be a part of the working bee, with "the more the merrier".

He said people would be divided into four teams, and the clean-up would start from the Polynesian Spa lakeside area and follow the walking tracks in the Sanatorium Reserve, keeping away from the geothermal areas.

"I'm looking forward to ending up with a cleaner reserve.

"We think Conservation Week is not something we should be doing just one week a year, but there are a lot of people out there that do care about our environment and Conservation Week is probably the best time to make people aware of it.

He encouraged people to go along and get involved because, "at the end of the day Rotorua is our home and every single person from Rotorua should be part of helping our community".

"It only takes small steps to have great achievements."

Gumboots are highly recommended, along with long sleeves and pants, a jacket, a hat/beanie, a water bottle and some snacks. Gloves and rubbish bags will be provided.

It is a free event to be involved in. Register by emailing chrisf@sudimarotorua.co.nz.

For more information on Conservation Week events go to www.doc.govt.nz/conservationweek.