A $750,000 funding boost for Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari from Central Government is welcome news for Waipā, and will help conserve our precious native species, says Mayor Susan O’Regan.
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka announced the funding, which will be distributed over the next three years, late last week.
“Maungatautari is one of the jewels in the crown for Waipā,” said O’Regan.
“It’s New Zealand’s largest fenced eco-sanctuary offering people the chance to experience ancient forests teeming with rare and endangered wildlife, including kiwi, kākāpō and tuatara.
“We are thrilled that this funding will help support the vital biodiversity, conservation and translocation work carried out by the dedicated team at Maungatautari – including the network of nearly 200 volunteers.”
O’Regan said the funds would help provide certainty for the sanctuary. “I’m delighted that Minister Potaka and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon have acknowledged the enormous importance of conserving some of our most treasured taonga at this special ecological sanctuary.”
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is home to more than 730 native species of flora, fauna and fungi, and serves as a crucial source population site for the North Island brown kiwi. To date, 364 kiwi have been translocated from the sanctuary to other parts of the North Island as part of the national re-population strategy.
