Banks Peninsula Conservation

Today we met Pam Richardson, a landowner in Pigeon Harbour (Banks Peninsula). She is living proof that the community can make a lot of change when it does its share. She has many hectares of land on which she grows crops and raises sheep and cattle. What she also does on this land, which seems to be a rare contribution so far among landowners in that area but a very admirable one, is populate the hills with native plants. The pastures across the harbor and most that I have seen here in New Zealand are either infested with gorse or completely bare with no plant life but grass. Pam and her family have planted natives all over the hills and they are taking really nicely to the land. The shrubs and trees provide shade for the grazers and shelter from the wind as well as restoring the biodiversity back to New Zealand. Pam is part of the Conservation program and takes part in many discussions about different plans for Banks Peninsula. There are only fifty people living in that region which is why it is so important for the landowners to all share their ideas with each other and spread knowledge. The hope is that as more people hear this method of conservation and see it implemented, they will follow along. It was really cool to see the sheep ultrasound images when they were checking to see if they were pregnant with one or two. We also got to see a mussel farm there and they showed us the different kinds of wool, and the picture included is of a Keruru, or New Zealand Wood Pigeon. Later in the day we went to Birdling's Flat and saw sand dunes; the beach is so beautiful.
Katie Black