Summit staff spent a day cleaning up our forests last week, collecting a whopping six trailer loads of rubbish — and sadly there’s still more out there.
Why do some locals think it is ok to dump their rubbish in our forests?!
Te Hiku Forest east of Te-Oneroa-a-Tōhē (Ninety Mile Beach) is jointly owned by four iwi (Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kuri, Ngāi Takoto, Te Rarawa) and managed by Summit Forests NZ Ltd. Access to Te Hiku Forests is a privilege and not a right. Most people value this whenua for its hauora, hunting, recreation, ecological, and archaeological values along with the livelihood it provides many locals. It is so disappointing to see our whenua treated this way.
There is no excuse for using these beautiful forests as a dumping ground. Most of the rubbish dumped was 100% recyclable, which is free to deliver to a transfer station, and the glass was already colour sorted. One particular dumper probably passed at least one transfer station on their way to the forest, which would have been far more accessible. Dumping of green waste is also an issue as it spreads noxious weeds.
Awhina (help), we all know it takes a village, so ka haere! (let’s go!) If you are dumping rubbish — STOP IT. If you know who is dumping rubbish — tell them to STOP IT. If you see someone dumping rubbish, photograph their number plate if possible and let Summit Forests (09 4067024) or the Far North District Council (0800 920 029) know.
Manaaki whenua, manaaki tangata, haere whakemua. If we take care of the earth and take care of people, we will take care of the future.