Summer news from Te Mata Park

The native trees planted over winter are faring well, as are the weeds which are being dealt to by our caretakers and volunteers and will take another hit at our upcoming working bee.

Please read on for news from the Park this summer including an award win, update on our predator control programme, a link to register for Triple Peaks for the more adventurous types, a generous donation from The Enchanted Ball, words from Mike Lusk, and more.

Ngā mihi,

The Te Mata Park Trust Board

Green Flag award

We are delighted to have been awarded the distinguished international Green Flag award for the fifth time.  The award recognises well managed parks and green spaces around the world. Thank you to all our volunteers, our Park team, and the wider community for the mahi that contributes to keeping the Park the special place that it is.

Triple Peaks is back!

The return of Triple Peaks in 2024 has brought much excitement after the event was cancelled following the cyclone last year. The event will be held on 13 April 2024 and include two of the three triple peaks, Mt Erin and Te Mata Peak, as well as surrounding scenic farmland. Mt Kahuranaki will not be included this year due to cyclone damage to the route, although it is the intention to return the event to its original three peak format next year.

Entries are now open (register here), with options for bikers, runners and walkers. There is a one peak option for those wanting a stepping stone to the full event.

Proceeds from the event go to supporting the operations of Te Mata Park.  To stay up to date with event news, follow Triple Peaks on Facebook.

The Enchanted Ball donates over $50,000 in four years 

For the fourth year we have received a generous donation from the team at The Enchanted Ball. This brings the total donated from The Enchanted Ball to over $50,000. This year the money will go towards maintaining our tracks.  A huge thank you to Greg Howie, the team at Etiquette Events, and all the event supporters and patrons.

If you would like to make a donation to support the Park’s essential operations, please do so here, or contact our Fundraising and Grants Manager Catherine Mueller.

Emergency response system operational

A new emergency response system installed in Te Mata Park will aid emergency services to locate a person in need of assistance.  A collaboration between Emergency Services in Hawke’s Bay and Te Mata Park Trust has seen over 160 waypoints installed on track marker posts in the Park. Each post has a red sticker with a number and letter on it that corresponds to GPS coordinates, allowing the emergency services operator to pinpoint the location of the person in need.  You can read more about the system on our website.

We would also like to remind all Park users that there is an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) located at Peak House.

Have your say

Our bi-annual survey is just around the corner where we canvas Park users to learn more about how the Park is used, gauge how satisfied people are, and gather ideas for improvement. As one of our newsletter subscribers, you will be emailed a survey link in March and we would very much appreciate your time to complete it.

Predator control update

Our predator control programme is going from strength to strength with about 65 traps currently in use in the Park and a dedicated team of volunteers checking and clearing them. Over the last six months we have focused on trap maintenance, and have recently added some long-life lures to the trap network, thank you to funding from Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay.

Predator control is a crucial tool to protect the Park’s biodiversity, whether that be invertebrates, reptiles, native plants, and native birds of regional and national significance who call Te Mata Park home, including the tūī, kererū, and the Te Mata beetle. Many of our native species are found nowhere else on Earth and this isolation makes them vulnerable to introduced predators such as rats, stoats, and possums.

If you are interested in joining the Te Mata Park predator control volunteer team, please contact our Park Manager Sarah Austin-Smith.  Thanks to all our predator control volunteers!

The quiet achievers