DOC Community Fund grants have just been announced and the West Coast Penguin Trust is delighted to have been granted funds to support three years of work.
Trust Manager, Inger Perkins, said the almost full approval of the Trust’s application demonstrates DOC’s confidence in the Trust.
“We are thrilled with this outcome. The confidence shown in the Trust from those involved in the decision-making process is hugely encouraging. We can now plan for the future without having to worry about further applications to DOC, and the huge amount of work that goes into them, for three years.
“We work closely with DOC staff across the West Coast and place huge value on those working relationships as well as on the superb support provided through the Community Fund. Our projects contribute to conservation for penguins, other threatened seabirds and their habitat in this region and even beyond and we do what we can to support the broader picture of community conservation here.”
The Trust will be continuing and expanding its projects, especially working to align its penguin research with the recommendations of the NZ Penguin Initiative to help improve knowledge and the consistency of that knowledge across the country.
Ms Perkins continued:
“We will now be able to recruit a ranger in the new year, increasing ranger hours from casual and predominantly through the breeding season, to 0.5 full time equivalent and working throughout the year to continue and advance our existing projects, develop new ones and write up research projects. It’s an exciting time for consolidation and progress.
“The DOC Community Fund grant will also be supporting the growth of our Education Programme. Education Ranger, Lucy Waller, has developed strong and lasting connections with 14 of the possible 35 schools in the region, delivering classroom sessions, field trips and support for class projects as classes work through the Trust’s education resource Blue penguins and other seabirds – activities for exploration and action for schools and community groups.”
The grant covers around half of the Trust’s budgeted expenditure for three years and the Trust will continue to seek grants, donations and sponsorship for the other half.
“The beauty of the Community Fund is that it supports far more conservation than the actual dollar value of the grant. We will need to raise an equivalent amount or more to complete our planned projects and possible new projects, and then when you add in all the volunteer time and in-kind contributions, DOC’s investment is returned around three-fold.
“We’re also really pleased to see other penguin projects supported by the fund, especially the yellow-eyed penguin that is in dire and urgent need of a helping hand.”
While materials were chosen that would stand up to the harsh coastal conditions, those same coastal conditions are conducive to plant growth! Occasional checks of the fences have been carried out by volunteers and rangers so that any maintenance needs can be identified and remedied. The never-ending need for maintenance is managing the vegetation that can grow through the fence, for example gorse, blackberry and hydrangea, pushing it to breaking point in places, or flop over causing damage from the weight of rank grass, rushes and weeds such as montbretia.
Volunteers recently spent a few hours tidying up the main fence along Woodpecker Bay north of Punakaiki so a big shout out to them - thank you Fiona, Jony, Reef, Katrina, Mandy, Marty, Teresa and Deb! Flax had been pressing down on the fence, but now the fence has been freed up by these wonderful volunteers - and they picked up a fair bit of rubbish too.
Volunteer Natassja Savidge has offered to check and help maintain the Hokitika penguin protection fence and joined Ranger Lucy Waller and Manager Inger Perkins in May to inspect the length of the fence. Some minor issues were found but the main finding was the extent of the vegetation growth that was damaging the fence in places. Big thanks to Natassja!
