Ks for Kiwis is raising funds to help Mokoia Island Trust in its kiwi breeding and biosecurity work. Photo / Andrew Warner
Ks for Kiwis is raising funds to help Mokoia Island Trust in its kiwi breeding and biosecurity work. Photo / Andrew Warner
Along with its three new events, the Red Stag Rotorua Marathon is beginning a fundraising initiative this year called Ks for Kiwis to help Mokoia Island Trust in its kiwi breeding and biosecurity work.
Runway5 is one of the three new events, being held on Sunday, May 7. Using a90-minute window of availability from Rotorua Airport, the 5km will span the stretch of the airport runway and finish alongside the departure terminal.
Athletics NZ competitions manager Jason Cameron says $3 of every Runway5 5km entry and $2 of every kids and community Mile will be donated to the Mokoia Island Trust.
“As we look to ensure the Rotorua Marathon events are benefiting the local community and area, the kiwi conservation and Mokoia Island Trust was an obvious initiative that gave back to the community.”
Jason says the Mokoia Island Trust has been hugely successful in its conservation work, improving the kiwi population from the initial six breeding pairs that were released onto the island, to the estimated 35 to 40 kiwi now there.
“To help the Mokoia Island Trust continue their brilliant work, the funds raised from Runway5 ensure they have the additional help in their year-to-year activities and pest eradication on the island.
“As well as making memories to last a lifetime through entering Runway5, individuals will single handily be contributing to the conservation work and see where their money is going on race day by casting their gaze across from the runway and over the lake to Mokoia Island.
“We are really excited to share the partnership with Mokoia Island Trust and hope the Rotorua community whole-heartedly get behind the initiative by entering on May 7 and bringing the whole family along.”
Runway5 uses a 90-minute window of availability at Rotorua Airport - the 5km will span the stretch of the Rotorua Airport runway and finish alongside the departure terminal. Photo / Supplied
Mokoia Island Trust chairman Rawiri Bhana says the trust and the four iwi who are involved with looking after the island are really happy to be partnering with Athletics NZ and the Rotorua Marathon events.
“The Rotorua Marathon, in its 59th year, is an iconic marathon of New Zealand around our lake, and right smack bang in the middle is Mokoia Island.”
Money raised will go towards the trust’s kiwi count which happens every June and its biosecurity programme which works to trap rats, mice and any other rodents that manage to swim or jump off boats and vessels, Rawiri says.
“Our big issue is obviously introduced pest species, so rats and other rodents that could get onto Mokoia Island, and our kiwi is very easy prey.”
He says they estimate there are between 35 to 40 kiwi on Mokoia Island, and the biosecurity programme is run by volunteers.
The island is also home to other native birds and lizards, and the biosecurity work helps them too.
Rawiri says many people did not know that Mokoia is the only inland breeding island for kiwi, and that the trust translocates birds to other parts on New Zealand as the population on the island grows.
The North Island brown kiwi. Photo / 123rf.com
“It’s also about education. So many of our community don’t realise the significance locally and nationally of the island.”
He says we have to consider our actions to help keep Mokoia Island pest free, and that people may not realise when near the island that they have stowaways on their vessel.
“As a trust, we are fully committed to being kaitiaki for our kiwi and birds ... we want to be a haven where kiwi can grow.”
He says Runway5 is a great opportunity to step foot on the Rotorua Airport runway and to look after your body and your hauora, as well as helping out our kiwi on Mokoia Island.
He hopes that as Runway5 moves into next year it will grow into similar numbers as Bike the Runway, which has been held previously as part of the Rotorua Bike Festival.
