**Join The Battle For Our Native Birds**

Come along to learn about why it's important to do predator control in your backyard and take a free rat trap home.

This event is part of Envirohub Bay of Plenty Sustainable Backyards Month

Projects by Bren and Keep Tauranga Beautiful have joined up with Western Bay Wildlife Trust and Predator Free BOP to make this event a clean up and the launch of Predator Free Mount Maunganui! We’re super excited about this collaboration and hope you are too.

It is that time of year again - let's Show Mauao and Moturiki some love for an early valentine's and give our beautiful coastline and surrounds a clean up after the mad summer rush and all the holiday makers have headed home, and make sure it’s safe for our precious taonga species like the little blue penguin.

We will be set up at Mt Drury Reserve from 9 am until 12 pm, so come along whenever suits for as little or as long as you like :-) We will have everything that you need but if you do have your own gloves and bucket please bring these along!

You'll also be able to learn about the precious taonga species Western Bay Wildlife Trust are working hard to protect in the local area and find out how you can help by having a rat trap in your backyard. There will be a kid-friendly activity available, so bring your whanau along too!

If you have any questions at all please let us know.

We look forward to seeing you there and remember every little bit counts x

Due to the bad weather forecast for Sunday 8the December, the Predator Free Mount Maunganui launch will be postponed until February and will now run alongside the annual Love Mauao Valentine's clean up!

Keep an eye out on the Predator Free BOP and Western Bay Wildlife Trust Facebook pages for more detail.

In the meantime, if you are keen to get a rat trap now you can collect one from Envirohub's office, building 25, Historic Village by appointment - text 022 196 8599 or call 07 578 6664 during work hours Mon - Thurs, 10 am - 3 pm.

Plummers Point Community - Join the battle for our native birds!

Come collect a free rat trap, gain information on how to manage your backyard trap and become a key part of creating a Predator Free Plummers Point.

By having a pest trap in your backyard you'll help give our native species a fighting chance to thrive again.

This predator-free initiative is supported by Predator Free Bay of Plenty.

For further information call Andrea on 027 722 2967

**This is a Conservation Week event**

Envirohub Bay of Plenty has teamed up with the Department of Conservation, Coastal Marine Field Station - the University of Waikato, Scion Research, Waihi Beach Environment Society (Inc), Predator Free BOP, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Waihi Beach Info to bring you this fun-filled and educational day at the beach.

Complete with kids sand dig, sand sculpture contest, live music and beach clean up. All set alongside interactive education providers focused on the importance of conserving our beautiful taonga, reducing our waste and keeping it out of the marine environment.

Locals from Western Bay of Plenty and Tauranga Districts can also pick up a free rat trap for their backyard from Predator Free Bay of Plenty’s local Waihi Beach community leader. There is also a chance for kids to paint their rat trap to take home!

Come and join us for a day at the beach!

Event Schedule:

10:15-10:30 Kids Treasure Dig

10:30-12:00 Sand Sculpture Contest

10:30-13:00 Education and awareness about conservation, biosecurity threats, waste, predator control, kauri protection & myrtle rust

10:30-13:00 Beach Clean Up

12:30 - 12:45 Prizegiving (time subject to change)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**SAND SCULPTURE CONTEST RULES**

Theme: Marine-themed. You get bonus points for a NZ species.

Categories and prizes: Individual and Team. 1 st = $100, 2nd = $75, 3rd = $50 in both categories. Plus a people’s choice award = $50.

Contestants are to check in and register the day of the event prior to beginning work. Contestant will receive participant sign to be staked in work area. Contestants should draw some boundaries on their

working area probably near the water (above high tide line).

1) Have fun. Anything goes, you don’t need to be a pro to enter. This contest is for everyone.

2) Sand sculpture is to be made from sand and water only and marine-themed.

3) Hand tools (spades, rakes, trowels, spools, blunt knives etc) only. No mechanical tools may be used in building or carving sculpture. Sprayers to keep sand moist are acceptable. Forms and aids may be used for construction but must be removed before final judging.

4) Only objects found naturally on the beach may be used in the sculpture. “Foreign” objects found on beach may not be used. No added colours, props, objects etc.

5) Open to any age for individuals or teams. There are prizes for individuals and prizes for teams.

6) Any materials brought to the beach must be removed after contest. Please help keep Waihi Beach clean.

The final judging will occur from 12:00 pm. The sculpture will be judged from one “viewable” side (back of sculpture need not be carved or finished). Viewable side established by the contestant (indicated by location of participant sign).

REGISTER

There will be walk in registration on the day, but you can also register online which gives us some

advance notice by clicking and filling in this google form: https://forms.gle/UKbFYtQmbZkkLGKx6

TIPS

Have a plan before starting of what Marine creature you plan to sculpt. Pack your sand very hard and use LOTS of water. Use mounds or stacks of very wet sand then carve out the shape you want. Use deep cuts and features to add detail to the sculpture.

For more tips check out these websites and videos:

Tips: www.sandcastlecentral.com

How to build a Turtle sand sculpture: https://youtu.be/-USzKmQ4Ahw

How to build the ultimate sandcastle: https://youtu.be/7Pb0Z38GWhI

Good luck :-)

This event is part of Conservation Week 2019 - www.conservationweek.org.nz

Papamoa Community - We need you!

Your community has started the ambitious goal of a pest-free Papamoa. Become part of the solution to bring back our native birds and wildlife by removing rodent predators from the area.

Please come along to collect your free rat trap, gain information on how to manage your trap and become a key part of creating Predator Free Papamoa. We need at least 1 household in 5 to trap rodents at their Papamoa property to make a difference.

For further information call Emma on 021 037 9207

This pest-free initiative is supported by Predator Free Bay of Plenty.

This event is part of Conservation Week 2019 - www.conservationweek.org.nz

Te Puna Community - Join the battle for our native birds

Come collect a free rat trap, gain information on how to manage your backyard trap and become a key part of creating Pest Free Te Puna.

By having a pest trap in your backyard you'll help give our native species a fighting chance to thrive again.

For more information contact Mary Ph: 552 5516

This predator-free initiative is supported by Predator Free Bay of Plenty.

Plummers Point Community - Join the battle for our native birds!

Come collect a free rat trap, gain information on how to manage your backyard trap and become a key part of creating Predator Free Plummers Point.

By having a pest trap in your backyard you'll help give our native species a fighting chance to thrive again.

This predator-free initiative is supported by Predator Free Bay of Plenty.

For further information call Andrea on 027 722 2967

Otumoetai Community - Join the battle for our native birds!

Come collect a free rat trap, gain information on how to manage your backyard trap and become a key part of creating Predator Free Otumoetai.

By having a pest trap in your backyard you'll help give our native species a fighting chance to thrive again.

For further information call Emma on 022 196 8599 or Mark on 021 841 151.

This predator-free initiative is supported by Predator Free Bay of Plenty

Predator Free PAPAMOA

WE NEED YOU!

Your community has started the ambitious goal of a pest-free Papamoa. Become part the solution to bring back our native birds and wildlife by removing rodent predators from the area.

Please come along to collect your free rat trap, gain information on how to manage your trap and become a key part of creating Predator Free Papamoa, at Waterford Downs Reserve, Papamoa, on Saturday June 29, from 2.30 – 4.00pm.

This pest free initiative is supported by Predator Free Bay of Plenty.

We need at least 1 household in 5 to trap rodents at their Papamoa property to make a difference.

For further information call 021 037 9207

If you want a free rat trap for your Otumoetai property and help rid the Bay of rats, then come to Sydenham Botanic Park on Saturday 18th May and we'll give you one. In return for the free trap we ask that you bait and set it regularly and log any pest kills at predatorfreebop.nz - its as easy as that!

You'll also get to meet the local Otumoetai Predator Free community leader Mark Simpson and pick his brains for trapping advice.

Tell your friends and whanau. This backyard trapping programme is about our community working together to remove pests.

See you there!

Calling all Papamoa East Residents

WE NEED YOU!

Your community has started the ambitious goal of a pest-free Papamoa. Become part the
solution to bring back our native birds and wildlife by removing rodent predators from the area.

Please come along to collect your free rat trap, gain information on how to manage your trap and become a key part of creating Predator Free Papamoa, at Motiti Reserve, Papamoa East, on Saturday March 23, from 10am – 11.30am.

This pest-free initiative is supported by Predator-Free Bay of Plenty.
We need at least 1 household in 5 to trap rodents at their Papamoa property to make a difference.

For further information call 021 037 9207

Join the battle for our native birds by coming along to this informative and inspiring community start-up workshop during Sustainable Backyards month.

At the workshop you will get an overview of community backyard trapping; get a feel for what it involves being a leader in your neighbourhood and what support is available to help you. There will be a chance to ask questions and you will walk away with your own trap so you can get trapping.

Please use this google form link to register for this workshop:
https://goo.gl/forms/XV4PCo6abHRATaya2

Our community has a mission - to work together to drive out pests like rats and mice to help bring native birds back to our neighbourhoods. We encourage everyone to become a part of this movement.

Join the battle for our native birds by coming along to this informative and inspiring community start-up workshop during Sustainable Backyards month.

At the workshop you will get an overview of community backyard trapping; get a feel for what it involves being a leader in your neighbourhood and what support is available to help you. There will be a chance to ask questions and you will walk away with your own trap so you can get trapping.

Please use this google form link to register for this workshop:
https://goo.gl/forms/XV4PCo6abHRATaya2

Our community has a mission - to work together to drive out pests like rats and mice to help bring native birds back to our neighbourhoods. We encourage everyone to become a part of this movement.

Te Puna is launching a rodent attack to start the ambitious goal of a pest-free Te Puna.

Free rat traps, free instruction, heaps of information and refreshments will be on offer at Waitui Reserve on Saturday March 2, from 3pm – 4.30pm.

The pest-free initiative is an action in the Te Puna Community Development Plan and is supported by Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Predator-Free Bay of Plenty and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

Come along to collect one rat trap for your Te Puna property.

For more information contact Kim Edwards (after hours) 021 387 929 or Jo Gravit 07 552 6063

Join the battle for our native birds – leaders wanted

Registration is essential. Please click here to register.

Our community has a mission - to work together to drive out pests like rats and mice to help bring native birds back to our neighbourhoods.

We have active trappers in the following suburbs: Matua, Merivale, Te Puke, Maketu, Little Waihi, Paengaroa and Pukehina. And now it’s time to expand.

We’re on the look out for some motivated community people to help get YOUR neighbourhood trapping. Is this you? If it is, we’d love you to come along to one of our Predator Free BOP Start-up workshops.

At the workshop you will hear from a community leader who is already underway in their suburb; get an overview of community backyard trapping; get a feel for what it involves being a leader in your neighbourhood and what support is available to help you. There will be a chance to ask questions and you will walk away with your own trap so you can get trapping.

Kind register using this link.

The more pests like rats we remove, the safer our native species are. We encourage everyone to become a part of this movement.

Join the battle for our native birds – leaders wanted

Registration is essential. Please click here to register.

Our community has a mission - to work together to drive out pests like rats and mice to help bring native birds back to our neighbourhoods.

We have active trappers in the following suburbs: Matua, Merivale, Te Puke, Maketu, Little Waihi, Paengaroa and Pukehina. And now it’s time to expand.

We’re on the look out for some motivated community people to help get YOUR neighbourhood trapping. Is this you? If it is, we’d love you to come along to one of our Predator Free BOP Start-up workshops.

At the workshop you will hear from a community leader who is already underway in their suburb; get an overview of community backyard trapping; get a feel for what it involves being a leader in your neighbourhood and what support is available to help you. There will be a chance to ask questions and you will walk away with your own trap so you can get trapping.

Kindly register for the workshop using this link.

The more pests like rats we remove, the safer our native species are. We encourage everyone to become a part of this movement.