Counting for the Kiwi

Counting for the Kiwi

Environmental Expo in Russell great success

They’re counting cash for the Kiwi Project in Russell. At the conclusion of the event, John Agace, Trustee from Enterprise Russell announced that they would be making a donation of nearly $4,000 to the Russell Kiwi Project.

This was the fifth annual Environmental Expo held in Russell – in line with Conservation Week, this year’s theme was ‘Everything is Connected’. “The various events throughout the Russell area held over the weekend brought people to Russell to see, run and learn,” he said. “Not only the Expo, but the Geoff Moon exhibition of his stunning photographs, the ’ave an Art for Kiwi at the Orongo Bay Homestead… they were all highly popular.”

Perfect weather had blessed the orienteering, with the major prize of a Polar M62 heart rate monitor being won by an Auckland athlete. This was the inaugural event for the Russell Sports Club, raising funds for their building project. “The weekend’s been a great success,” said Jacqui Knight, organiser.

“We had the Town Hall bursting to the scenes with exhibitors, and people who attended were highly enthusiastic about the displays, learning ways in which to minimise their impact on the environment. We had a great bunch of people here.”

The Russell Kiwi Project covers 2,500 ha of land, all extensively managed with few possums and low numbers of rats, weasels, stoats and ferrets. Residents and landowners are very aware of their responsibilities as pet owners, and have benefited from better fruit, vegetables and birdlife. Tourism, which is the key economic driver in Russell, has benefited as well.

ENDS

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