September 2020 - Update

Trail News and Maintenance
Good weather and the lack of adverse conditions over the last month have meant that Trail usage has continued to build. The committee is looking at ways of improving the Trail surface in some areas to enhance the utilisation & experience of users and ease ongoing maintenance requirements.
Website
The website and Facebook page update is ongoing. Committee member profile updates are underway.
Predator Control
The following pests were eradicated over the reporting period: 2 x possum 5 x rats 4 x Good Nature Kills AT220 traps are working well. These kill both possums and rats. A graph showing seasonal pest kill rates will be added to our website. This indicates that February through to April is when the target pests are most active. Trail Usage Counter 2256 passes for the period 22nd August – 20th September.
Funding
Pub Charity funding has enabled a much needed upgrade to our sand dumper to be completed. Submissions to Local Body, National Authority and other donors / benefactors are being investigated. We would like to thank the organisers of the Tairua Trail & Tides Run / Walk event for their generous donation towards Stage 4 and look forward to this year’s event. See our Facebook page for more details. Firewood sales and public donations are ongoing.
Trail Stage 3 Progress
Progress along the Marginal Strip adjacent to the Tairua River is currently halted at the boundary between TCDC and DoC administered land. We are investigating the possibility of partnering with Iwi, Walking Access NZ, WRC and DoC to return this section of the River Esplanade to an area where the public can see and be involved in a wetland restoration as part of the Trail construction. We believe this is aligned with the bottom line principles of both Walking Access NZ and DoC with regard to the health of our wetlands and restoring public access to publicly owned areas. We believe that local property owners from Pauanui, Hikuai and Tairua could take a role in this partnership.
Trail Stage 4
The committee has now walked a possible route from the Tairua School to the Tairua Cemetery. We believe a walk / cycle way through this area would provide Tairua with a much needed safe access way to the Cemetery as well as an impressive start / finish point to the Trail to Hikuai. A basic map showing how this could be achieved will be developed for discussion and comment by all stakeholders and the public in general. Research into viable construction methods is underway. We await comment on the TCDC produced a map showing a possible alignment of Stage 4 of the Trail between Hikuai and Tairua circulated to stakeholders.
Health & Safety
Signage and Trail improvements are ongoing to ensure a superior experience by all Trail users.