Councillor’s departing gift
Councillor's departing gift
24 February 2016
When conservationist Laurie Hoverd leaves Waipa district later this year, he will leave behind much more than just memories.
The three-term Waipa District Councillor and his wife Janice will move to the Hawke's Bay having given the people of Waipa six hectares of land for the token sum of just $1. The land at the back of their lifestyle block in Kakepuku Road adjoins the southern boundary of Mount Kakepuku Reserve. Over time, it's hoped the six hectares will be restored back to native bush, enlarging the reserve and providing habitat for the district's precious native species.
Laurie and Janice, who lived on Kakepuku Road for 36 years, began their love affair with Mount Kakepuku in the early 1990s but have both loved native birds all their lives.
In the early 1990s, we were part of a small group concerned the mountain was covered in goats. It was totally chewed out; there was no undergrowth or anything, Laurie said. So we organised an annual shoot and by 2005, the goats were gone. We began tackling possums, rats, mice and stoats in 1995. You've got to stay on top of them, and it's hard, physically and otherwise.
There is now a core group of around 35 people who nurture Mount Kakepuku, managing nearly 300 bait stations in a continuous battle to stay on top of pests and allow native birds to flourish. Over the years around 200 people have been involved.
And so far, it's worked. In 1999, Laurie and Janice's group became the first voluntary group to introduce the endangered North Island robin back into the wild. Between 2005-2012, 49 juvenile New Zealand falcon (karearea) have been released on the mountain. Kakepuku has also built up the highest numbers of tui and kareru in the greater Waikato.
Janice said while they had loved (nearly) every minute of their work on the mountain, it was time for her and Laurie to take time for themselves and their family, including three grandchildren.
The mountain doesn't need us now; it's the right time for us to go. We've done an education kit for schools and we have an action plan so there's something there for people to pick up and move on with, Janice said.
It's called an action plan because we actually do stuffwe don't just talk about it. Along with others, we've put in at least an hour a day for five months a year, for seven years but we're leaving Kakepuku in good hands.
The couple intend moving to Hawke's Bay with Laurie seeing out his council term travelling back for meetings. He said it's been important, among other things, for Waipa's environment to be part of the council mix.
I've always been political, he said. I stood as a candidate in around 2003 for the Green Party and beat the local Labour candidate so taking on issues when they might not be popular doesn't bother me, he said.
But I've been on the Council three terms and I don't want to just be rubber-stamping. We need new people to bring in new ideas; locals with a real sense of community. And we need people who can listen; who aren't frightened to ask questions.
Besides, Janice said. It will be an adventure moving to a new area. We like the Hawke's Bay and our family is there.
Waipa mayor Jim Mylchreest said Laurie and Janice have worked tireless to restore Kakepuku and have inspired the community.
They have achieved a great deal with very little financial support and I would like to sincerely thank them for all of their efforts over many years. Their very generous gift to the community is another step to increasing the native forest cover on Kakepuku.
Mylchreest said the couple would be missed by the community and Laurie's sound contribution around the council table will leave a huge gap.
Media enquiries, contact Jeanette Tyrrell (on behalf of council) 027 507 7599