Shorebirds Trust charity tournament raises over $100,000

 

On April 11 the Te Arai and Mangawhai Shorebirds Trust hosted their fourth annual Shorebirds Trust Charity Golf Tournament in conjunction with the top-ranking Tara Iti Golf Club, raising over $100,000, thanks to the generosity of the club’s membership and other business affiliates. 

More that 80 golfers enjoyed the warm hospitality from the Tara Iti team and played an incredible day of golf on a world-class links course, complete with wind and rain.

Serving as a subject matter expert for the Trust, Dr. Leigh Bull, from environmental planning and design consultancy company Boffa Miskell, shared how the Trust (an environmental conservation charity established by Ric Kayne) has taken an active role to provide financial and technical support to DOC, bringing international experts here to work with all stakeholders to develop alternative management strategies for the Fairy Tern Recovery Program. The Trust is ready to further support DOC’s Fairy Tern Recovery Plan, expected to be finalised in a few months. 

“Alongside the ongoing conservation efforts, we hope the focus on research will give us a better understanding of how these birds breed, and what factors might positively and negatively affect their prospects for successful breeding.”

The Trust recently also provided funding to DOC for a nest camera research study and a $150,000 three-year genetic study to improve understanding of the Fairy Tern’s nesting and breeding habits. 

“Backed by the Tara Iti Golf Club, Ric and Suzanne Kayne, and the Trust, we would like to announce the exciting development of the Tara Iti Wildlife Sanctuary and the appointment of a new Conservation Manager at Tara Iti Golf Club,” said Rob Channing, Residents Association property manager and ranger. “The Wildlife Sanctuary will be part of a project to preserve and enhance the area’s indigenous biodiversity and assist conservation efforts of endangered shorebirds, including the Fairy Tern - New Zealand’s most endangered bird.” 

The vision with the sanctuary is to continue restoring the coastal habitat with indigenous land and sea birds, reptiles, invertebrates, and vegetation that would once have existed along the coastline. The project aims to achieve nationally significant species conservation gains.

Conservation manager Alex Flavell Johnson will work onsite locally with Rob to create and also run the sanctuary.

"Now in its fourth year, the Shorebirds Trust Charity Golf Tournament is considered the grand finale of our golfing season,” says Matt Guzik, Tara Iti Golf Club general manager. “It certainly provides us with another opportunity to support our local community and a huge thank you goes out to Ric Kayne, the Board, and the entire Tara Iti team for helping facilitate this very successful fundraising event.”