WHAREROA FARM – Kāpiti and Coast Independent

Whareroa Supporters Update

26th March 2012

Source of Whareroa Stream from Campbell Mill Rd IMG_5399 — Source of whareroa Stream from Campbell Mill Rd

The last working bee was attended by a few hardy souls after the “weather bomb”. Many thanks to Dawn Bush, Ian and Penny Redward, Mary Beggs and June and Fred Rowland . They produced a good heap of weeds and made a marked difference.

KCDC Sustainable Show – Whareroa had a small display alongside many other Kapiti restoration groups. The range of activity and commitment is phenomenal. What a contribution to the environment, the community and the future.

Plants. This has been a wonderful summer for plants with regular rain. Last year’s Ti Kouka plants have thrived. Interestingly, the recent storm damaged several 4 foot coprosmas in the Ramaroa plantings, twisting them out of the ground. Most were fine.

A reminder that releasing from long grass is beneficial, many volunteers do an hour or so when they can.

Ramaroa Valley from Campbell Mill Rd IMG_5849 — Ramaroa Valley from Campbell Mill Road

If you are enjoying the farm do feel free to clear a few plants while you’re there.

Many thanks to those volunteers who beaver away between the working bees, as well as those who join us at the regular sessions.

It is well worth a wander south along the Whareroa boundary to see the natural regrowth in the upper gullies. In many places gorse has disappeared.

Farm Plan

On SE Ridge, looking through centre of farm IMG_5399 — S.E. Ridge looking through centre of farm

Peter Handford is working on this, with completion expected by the end of April. It will be good to have clarification of the long term plans for Whareroa based on land use capability with input from the Guardians.

Next working bee on 1st April will be different. First we will do more clearing of weeds by the picnic area until morning tea. Then Rob Craven, manager at QE Park nursery will lead a workshop on collecting and growing seeds to provide plants from Whareroa plants – the ultimate in ecosourcing

AGM. 7pm Thursday 12th April in the meeting room at Paraparaumu Library

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100 Years Ago — and the Maori Long March begins

Māori politics was dominated by the influential MPs (and sometime Cabinet ministers) Māui Pōmare ( Waitara statue photo above) and Apirana Ngata.

The 1920's also saw the rise of Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana’s religious movement, and the emergence of Te Puea Hērangi in Waikato.

Ngata worked hard to foster Māori scholarship and education and preserve traditional arts and culture.

He convinced the government to establish a Board of Maori Ethnological Research (1923), a Maori Purposes Fund Control Board (1924) and a School of Maori Arts and Crafts in Rotorua (1927).

The Reform government also took the first, tentative steps towards settling longstanding Māori grievances.

Agreements with Te Arawa in 1922 and Ngāti Tūwharetoa in 1926 recognised their respective rights over the Rotorua lakes and Lake Taupō, and led to the establishment of trust boards with some government funding.

Commissions of inquiry which examined Ngāi Tahu grievances (1920–21) and the Waikato and Taranaki confiscations (1926–27) recommended that modest compensation be paid.