Environmental Restoration Project struck by burglars

Sinclair Wetlands has been targeted by thieves who have taken off with a few thousand dollars’ worth of fencing materials.
For the past 12 months the Sinclair Wetlands Trust (a small charitable trust who manage what has been regarded as NZ’s largest privately owned wetland) have been planning, applying for funding and liaising with stakeholders to construct a 1.4km stock exclusion fence. It is a long process applying for funding and drumming up support from local businesses and volunteers to help carry out the project.
The Trust was successful in receiving funding thanks to the Mahinerangi Environment Enhancement fund, Fish and Game Otago, and the QEII National Trust. Local farmers had also agreed to volunteer their time and share their skills and machinery to complete the project.

The fencing was a key aspect to a multi-pronged project to complete over the winter. Speights environment fund also provided funding to carry out mulching work on “the other side of the fence” to remove gorse and broom which would create space for restoration plantings once the area was free from stock.
40 International Student Volunteers have paid to leave behind their summer in the United States to help Sinclair Wetlands projects such as these over the winter. 4000 native plants have been picked up this week in preparation for restoring areas which were to be protected by the fence. At the same time the wetlands part-time coordinator was out collecting native plants, someone has come to the wetlands and helped themselves to a large amount of fencing materials. 10-12 rolls of sheeting netting (valued at around $200 per roll) have disappeared along with a pellet full of posts.

It is very sickening to think someone is happy to put these materials to better use, it really takes the shine off a huge amount of good-will received by these agencies, businesses, volunteers and the community who have all given so much to enable such a project. It is also a major setback for the events which have been planned to take place in-conjunction with the fencing this winter. Without the fence the mulching cannot go ahead (as the gorse is currently what it is keeping sheep from entering the wetlands) and new jobs will have to be planned and funded in preparation of the student volunteers due to arrive within the fortnight.

Fencing of conservation areas is very important, especially around waterways. The new fence would help improve water quality, prevent erosion, protect birds nesting sites from trampling/disturbing and enable large scale restoration plantings.

Volunteering and restoration plantings have had a major focus over the last 24 months. In 2014 Sinclair Wetlands received 1761 hours of volunteers time which has resulted in less weeds and more native trees, over 2500 trees were planted last year and this year in 2015 the wetlands were aiming to plant 5-6 thousand new ones.

There has been much concern and empathy shown on the wetlands social media page:www.facebook.com/sinclairwetlands and one follower has contributed money to pay for the first roll of fencing wire on the wetlands “Givealitle” page:
www.givealittle.co.nz/org/sinclairwetlands

ENDS

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