New trust receives funding for community based nursery

The Te Kakano Aotearoa Trust (Te Kakano) has recently received significant funding to start a community based native plant nursery.

Te Kkano is a trust that was set up in 2007 by a group of motivated Wanaka individuals who wanted to see a community nursery established that could get involved with community regeneration and reforestation projects. The Trust chair, Nick Mills says “it’s fantastic that we have received this funding which allows us to contract a nursery manager and commence building a community nursery in Wanaka”

This seed funding was gratefully received from the Sargood Bequest, an Otago-based philanthropic trust, whose key interests lie in youth, community access and environmental initiatives.

Until now the Trust has been in its formative phase; creating governance structures, liaising with key stakeholders and designing a suitable nursery that has growth and mobility potential over the coming years. The trust wishes to start small, before moving towards servicing more large scale restoration projects. By the end of 2008, the aim is to grow over 5,000 native seedlings to be used in future planting projects around the waterways of the Upper Clutha. Nick says that “now that funding has been granted we can commence building of the nursery on land generously gifted to the trust by Jill and John Blennerhassett of Wanaka”

Once the nursery building project is underway, the trustees hope that members of the community will get involved with volunteering to both learn from the processes in a nursery and to contribute in giving back something to the beauty of the Upper Clutha.

Support has already been received from many individuals and organisations who also believe in the vision of the trust and who wish to be involved in the activities of the nursery.

www.tekkano.org.nz

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Te Kkano Aotearoa Trust was formed in 2007 by Wanaka residents who wanted to help communities care for their land. The trust has the following aims;

Vision

Hands on community Landcare

Purpose

The core purpose of Te Kkano Aotearoa Trsut is to support communities in fostering healthy lands and waterways so as to create a stronger link between the environment and humanity

Mission

To develop a successful, transposable model for community based nurseries which can service large-scale restoration projects and, through education and hands on participation, inspire the community to become closer to the land. To encourage other communities; local, regional, national, global – to adopt this model to their own lands.

The Name Te Kkano: The Seed

To plant a seed of environmental stewardship, to help it grow and bear the fruit, to assist other communities to take the seeds of this fruit and plant them in their own land.

Values

Community focus, community involvement, community spirit
Practical ethos towards healthy land and healthy water
Co-operation, communication, inspiration
Sustainable principles and practices
Organic principles and practices
Thinking globally, acting locally
The use and development of simple concepts which are easily modelled and easily replicated
Enthusiasm, commitment, honesty
Environmental responsibility, the love of the earth
Integrity in all actions

Supported by;

The Sargood Bequest

Lakes Environmental

Philip Chapman of Container Sales and Leasing, Dunedin

John Reid, Upper Clutha Transport

Partnerships

Sustainable Wanaka

Clutha Mata-Au River Parkway

Department of Conservation

Otago Regional Council

Queenstown Lakes District Council

Guardians of Lake Wanaka

Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society

Wanaka Springs Trust

Mount Aspiring College

Trustees

Matthew Davidson, Accountant, Sorted Accounting Ltd

Gerald Davies, Project Manager, Eco-Sustainability Developments Ltd

Jo Guest, Teacher, Mount Aspiring College

Nick Mills (Chair), Winegrower, Rippon Vineyard and Winery

Ted Simpson, Retired professional & Vineyard Owner, Mount Iron Estate

Megan Williams, General Manager, Sustainable Wanaka

Key Strategies for 2008

Engage an experienced Nursery Manager
Set up and operate a functional, low infrastructure nursery which will have the ability to expand according to demand.
Involve the community, both in terms of construction, operations and the restoration of public amenity land.
Create and maintain public identity through press releases and web site
Maintain and strengthen both existing and new relationships with its key stakeholders and community groups.
By the end of 2008 Te Kkano aims to hold a minimum inventory of 5,000 healthy, eco-sourced native plants
Maintain accurate and transparent record keeping