Help protect the treasured environment at Muriwai o Whata/Coopers Lagoon

If you want to help form a better picture of a treasured environment and celebrate biodiversity, then sign up for theupcoming Bioblitz atMuriwai oWhata/CoopersLagoon.

Environment Canterbury (ECan), Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Te Taumutu Rūnanga are celebrating biodiversity with the event on Saturday, February 18th. It’s to provide a snapshot of the environment and help iNaturalist will be used to capture the observations on the day, it’s an easy-to-use app where signs of organisms at a particular time can be recorded. Every observation can contribute tobiodiversityscienceglobally.

ECan to be able to protect and enhancethisimportantarea.

Join the search for flora and fauna alongside subject matter expertssharingtheirknowledge.

Muriwai o Whata and the surrounding area are culturally significant for Te Taumutu Rūnanga, descendants of the great ancestors Ruahikihiki and his son Moki. For Taumutu, Muriwai o Whata is the spiritual homeoftuna/eels.

Tuna/eel, kēkēwai/crayfish, pātiki/flounder and kōtuku ngutupapa/spoonbill are just some of the unique wildlife knowntoliveinthearea.

ECan’s principal biodiversity advisor for wetlands, Jason Jason Jason Butt ButtButt Butt, said, “Muriwai o Whata is a treasured environment, but one thatisnotfullyunderstoodyet.

“We have a lot of gaps in our knowledge about what is actually here. To inform our actions and next steps, we really want to start filling thosegaps.It will help us understand what’s here and the food webs that existcurrently.

“We have all this open water, which has aquatic plants in it, but it’s also really important for invertebrates, fish, and birds,” Jasonadded.

“There are lots of birds that have been recorded on the lagoon. You often see kotuku and royal spoonbills here. So, there’s a great mix of waterfowl and wading birds as well, pied stilts andthelike.

“It’s a fantastic place, and I recommend it to everyone. On a nice sunny day, looking out to sea, it’s just the most tranquil place,”Jasonconcluded.

The Bioblitz will be held on-site at Muriwai o Whata/Coopers Lagoon, located within the Selwyn District, just south of Taumutu. RSVP is essential to events@ecan.govt.nz by February15th.

To find out To find out To out To out more about moreabout about the event visit: event visit: ecan.govt.nz

Saturday, April 1st, is going to be an action-packed day as contestants from across the New Zealand Young Farmer Tasman Regionbattleitoutforaplaceat theSeason55GrandFinal.

The Practical Day will be held at Amuri A&P Showgrounds in Rotherham, with the Evening Show being held at the Hanmer SpringsMemorialHall.

There are seven Regional Finals running across Aotearoa between February and April 2023. The finalists could be tested on any aspect of modern farming across the whole supply chain.

Each Regional Final will decide who will be competing at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year GrandFinalinJuly2023.

The winner of FMG Young Farmer of the Year will receive around $70,000 worth of prizes thanks to the Contest’s sponsor family.

New Zealand Young Farmers has been a part of rural communities since 1927. FMG Young Farmer of the Year is the flagship event for the non-profit organisation, and the competition has run annually since 1969. Joining the FMG Young Farmer of the Year contestants at the Regional Finals are the next generation of Young Farmers, the AgriKidsNZ and FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year contestants. All finalists for each age range will compete in their respective categories at theGrandFinalinJuly2023.

Belowisalistofcontestants whoarehopingtorepresent

TasmanintheGrandFinal:

Sam Back Sam Back Back Back

LincolnYoungFarmers the West Coast of the South Island and from a young age wanted to be involved in the foodandfibresector.

Sam is currently in his third year of a Bachelor of Agricultural ScienceatLincolnUniversity. He then plans to complete his fourth year of his degree with an honours project in the Lincoln University Soil Science department.

Samgrewupondairy farmsboth in Taranaki and Canterbury and has experience working on dairy, sheepandbeeffarms.

Sam has been a part of New Zealand Young Farmers since high school, where he was the Vice-Chair of his high school TeenAgClub.

George is involved in Civil Earthmoving, currently working on a four-year project and usually is operating a digger, articulated dump truck, or bulldozer.

Close to ageing out of New Zealand Young Farmers, George wanted to give the Contest one last shot at getting through to theGrandFinal.

George has been involved with Young Farmers for nearly twelve yearsand hasheld many rolesin various Clubs around the country.

Bryce is the sixth generation to work on the family sheep and beef farm in Dovedale and is currently in the process of becoming a partner in the business.

He's reasonably new to Young Farmers, and is working with others in the Tasman area to grow the Tasman Valley Young FarmersClub.

Amelia has had experience on large-scale sheep, deer and dairy farms all over the South Island. In addition, Amelia has experience in apple and kiwifruit production, where she completed her Fruit Production Apprenticeship. This involvement in horticulture also led her to compete in the 2022 Young Grower of the Year awards.

Nick is a member of Lincoln Young Farmers and has recently beenappointedChair.

Archie is currently studying a Masters of Agribusiness at LincolnUniversity.

He grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Eketahuna but has worked on a range of di erent farms, including high-country deerandirrigateddairy.

Archie has been a member of Lincoln Young Farmers for three years, where he has held the Vice-Chair position for the last two.

Sam is based on the West Coast andis2IConadairyfarm.

Sam grew up on the family farm near Greymouth. He's previously worked at a chicken farm and has worked for Meadow Mushrooms at their composting plant.

He's the founding member of the West Coast Young Farmers Club in 2021, and in 2021 won the West Coast Dairy Trainee of theYear.

Amelia is a Nutrient Specialist for the Tasman/Buller region. She grew up on a dairy farm on

Ryan Dickey Ryan Dickey Ryan Dickey Ryan Dickey WestMeltonYoungFarmers

Good luck to Good luck to all contestants. all contestants.

Ryan is a twenty seven year old sheep and beef farm manager in Kirwee. He is the current Chair of the West Melton Young Farmers, and has been involved with Young Farmers for about seven andahalfyears.

He was originally from Raglan but now calls Canterbury home afterbeinghereforeightyears.

Ryan loves getting out hunting, four wheel driving and riding motorbikeswithmates.”

“What I’m most excited about at regional final is getting out and showcasing my abilities against likeminded people from around the region and hopefully seeing how far I can go,” commented Ryan.