Orienteering Waikato members have found a way to support Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari with a Save the Sanctuary Rogaine.
Orienteering in Maungatautari.
When the club heard the Department of Conservation had withdrawn operational funding from the Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust, which operates the world’s largest predator proof fence, they decided to do something about it. They have organised a fundraiser on March 2 as part of the club’s Rugged Rogaine series.
The trust, which is guardian of 3363 hectares of native bush at Pukeatua, reported a $500,000 loss in the last financial year. Waikato Regional Council and Waipā District Council continue to part fund operations of the $5000 a day attraction, while the Department of Conservation has switched to targeted funding.
“Rogaining is an endurance sport combining tramping, navigation, competition and strategy,” said club spokesperson Emma Guest.
“Teams of two to five people are given a map and must plan a route with the aim of visiting as many checkpoints as possible in a set time period.”
Orienteering in Maungatautari
There are two-hour, four-hour and eight-hour courses planned for the event, following the mountain’s predator lines.
“The checkpoints will be marked by orange flags with electronic timing devices.”
The club, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, has spent months upkeeping the monitoring lines in preparation for the event.
“The sanctuary requires support from the community to continue their important work.” Guest said.
“They need our help to keep the fence secure, to continue with their world-leading Kiwi conservation programme, and to monitor critically endangered kākāpō on the maunga. Sanctuary Mountain is a community led initiative and it’s going to need the community to keep it going.”
The club hopes to get 300 registrations between now and February 27 and raise $10,000.
Sanctuary Mountain chief executive Helen Hughes and her team are looking forward to welcoming Orienteering Waikato for its Rugged Rogaine event.
“The support of Orienteering Waikato and the event’s aim of raising funds for the vital conservation work of the sanctuary is immensely appreciated,” she said.
The trust is focussing on earning revenue through five funding pillars: tourism, education, science and research, donations, and biodiversity credits.
Last year the biggest movement of North Island brown kiwi took place, as Sanctuary Mountain staff sent 222 kiwi to other conservation projects around the North Island.
This year, the team hopes to offer kiwi encounter experiences.
Orienteering Waikato members prepare for the Save the Sanctuary Rogaine at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.
