Waikato District Council has received a grant from the Waikato Regional Council to assist with planting around Huntly’s Lake Puketirini.
As part of the regional council’s Environmental Initiatives Fund, $14,000 has been awarded to Waikato District Council for planting as part of the Lake Puketirini ecological enhancement programme.
In 2014, the Waikato District Council assessed the ecological values of Puketirini and developed a programme to improve ecological values and biodiversity in the reserve, lake and its wider catchment.
Lake Puketirini is a good example of an open cast coal mine with a lake which has been developed for recreational and ecological values.
An independent assessment of the area identified a number of valuable biodiversity assets including endangered, vulnerable and uncommon species such as banded and giant kokopu, pied shag and spotless crake.
“The funding gratefully received by Waikato District Council is only a small part of a larger ecological enhancement programme around Lake Puketirini which will be managed and maintained by Council.
“Moving forward, Council is very much dedicated to the ongoing development of this much-loved Huntly resource,” Acting General Manager Service Delivery Martin Mould says.
For more information please contact:
Teresa Hattan
Communications Advisor
Waikato District Council
07 824 8633 Extn: 5649
027 889 3084
teresa.hattan@waidc.govt.nz
