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232 days ago

Huge opportunity to accelerate ecological work

The Team from Momentum Waikato

The Waikato Catchment Ecological Enhancement Trust, or ‘WCEET’, is a collaboration between Mercury Power and the conservation groups that were involved in the re-consenting process for the company’s Waikato River dams. Together they manage an enhancement fund that supports efforts to environmentally compensate for the dams’ impact.

WCEET’s financial support has had a hugely positive impact on the Waikato and Lake Taupo catchments since it was established two decades ago – its funding of 300+ conservation projects has collectively enhanced 2600+ hectares of wetland and 2600+ hectares of riparian habitat, with 2.43 million natives planted and predator control applied to 7200+ hectares.

“We’ve supported some truly inspirational volunteer groups, landowners and businesses dedicated to protecting and enhancing the environment,” said Trust Chair Gwyn Verkerk.

“Without any promotion, our funding rounds are always over-subscribed. So we’ve set up the WCEET Fund with Momentum Waikato, as both a new investment income stream in its own right, and to provide an easy way for the public to donate towards the expansion and long-term sustainability of this crucial local conservation funding.”

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More messages from your neighbours
16 days ago

⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️

The Team from SPCA New Zealand

It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:

👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️

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1 day ago

How are you celebrating Christmas this year?

Libby Totton Reporter from Waikato Times

From hot air balloon rides to cotton ball scooping games, folks around Hamilton have their festive plans sorted.

On a sunny Monday when most people are already on holiday, there were a few homecomers on Hamilton streets.

How are you celebrating Christmas this year? Tell us in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).

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2 days ago

Rescued teen tells of fall down ‘two-storey’ waterfall

Libby Totton Reporter from Waikato Times

A Hamilton teenager who spent nearly 40 hours in the bush with broken bones after falling off an “almost two-storey waterfall” has expressed gratitude for all the efforts to find her.

Maia Johnston, 19, who left her mother’s home in Tōtara Park, Upper Hutt on Saturday evening, said she got lost in Akatarawa Forest – described as “a rugged blend of native and exotic forest”, including steep valleys and river gorges, by the Wellington Regional Council.

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