Filling the gaps others don’t reach
The financial challenges involved in organising volunteer conservation work led a Hamilton couple to set up a philanthropic investment fund to fill the funding gaps faced by the region’s nature groups.
Selwyn and Dianne June first established the Waikato Hauraki Conservation Fund at Momentum Waikato with a significant donation in late 2021, which was during the Covid pandemic, so they only started grantmaking and promoting it to environmental networks in late 2023.
Five conservation projects around the Waikato benefited from those first grants - Kakepuku Mountain Conservation Society for trap refills and bait; Rings Beach Wetland Group Inc for possum, mustelid and rat traps; Kaitiakitanga Charitable Trust for engaging youth on pest control and riparian planting projects; Roselle Gould for predator traps near a stream and wetland at Whangamata; and Holthuizer Farm near Walton for riparian planting.
The Junes’ intent is to provide a long-term funding source for conservation work anywhere in the wider Waikato region, that the public can support with donations.
‘Simply irresponsible’: Wallaby likely kept as pet in Hamilton, regional council says
A wallaby spotted in Hamilton was probably kept as a pet, the regional council says - and that’s “simply irresponsible”.
The dama wallaby, which had an immature joey in its pouch, was spotted in Frankton on March 3, reported and killed, Waikato Regional Council says.
Got more greens than you know what to do with? 🥦🌱🥕
Whether it’s a courgette takeover or a feijoa frenzy, don’t let those garden gems go to waste!
Our suggestion to you: Did you know you can grate and freeze excess courgettes to use in chocolate cake later? It sounds a bit dodgy, but it makes the cake incredibly moist ... and hey, it counts as a serving of veg, right? 🍫
What’s your go-to move for a bumper harvest? Drop your best "glut" recipes or preservation hacks in the comments below! 👇
Drone ‘incident’ during Balloons Over Waikato landing
A pilot taking part in Balloons Over Waikato had an incident with a drone in Hamilton on Tuesday morning.
The incident happened while the balloon was landing at Wake Park, near Aberdeen School in Dinsdale.
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