Toi Toi Trekkers Tramping Club Conservation Award

2001 CONSERVATION AWARD

In the mid 1960s a group of Ranger staff, notably the late Bill Cooper, saw the potential for an ecological disaster on the eastern side of the Tongariro National Park if the wilding pines were not checked. The project to destroy these pines has continued unabated since then with the help of many clubs, to the extent that DOC now has the spread of pines inside the park under control.

Every year around November/December Toi Toi Trekkers, combined with members of the Tararua Tramping Club of Wellington, head for Tongariro National Park (after a compulsory stop at the Ohakune Chocolate Éclair Shop), to search and destroy Pinus Contorta. Armed with loppers, enthusiasm and lots of laughter, we are guided by DOC personnel, sweeping across the slopes, uprooting and chopping down Pinus Contorta as we go. Look there's one now!!!

Toi Toi Trekkers, Tararua Tramping Club, Hutt Valley Tramping Club and the Wanganui Tramping Club were given the Conservation Award in appreciation of the thousands of hours spent on the Pinus Contorta eradication programme. We will continue this club project for as long as it takes to one day see Mt Ruapehu free of this introduced invasive pest!!

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