Herekino Landcare Group Kahili Ginger Eradication Project
Region: Northland
Award Category: Northland
Year: 2014
This project seeks to control and eradicate wild ginger in the Northern catchment of the Herekino harbour. Within this catchment lies par of the Ahipara Tablelands, home to unique flora, and the western edge of the Herekino forest together with the culturally significant maunga Orowhana.
The project is run by our group with Mike Finlayson as the volunteer Project Manager.
The group, with support from WINZ, currently employs 14 people to work 30 hours a week for 26 weeks a year for a term of three years under the DoC Biodiversity Condition fund grant terms.
We have been battling wild ginger since 2000 and although we still have a way to go we are making solid progress and are confident of sucess. (It should be noted that wild ginger is making severe inroads into native bush throughout Northland, especially where it still remains under the radar, where communities have yet to engage).
We are covering over 3000 hectares in total. Most of the crew are young rangitahi from the area and most are developing a keen interest in protecting and enhancing our indigenous biodiversity.