Triangle Television puts trees before a party

Triangle Television puts trees before a party

Thousands of pohutukawas are to be planted on Motutapu Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf as part of Triangle Television’s 10th anniversary celebrations.

The Auckland station celebrates a decade of broadcasting this month (August) and so is inviting viewers and supporters across the country to take part in a project that will establish a forest of thousands of trees near Home Bay on the island.

The whole island is undergoing a long-term regeneration process thanks to the efforts of the Department of Conservation, Motutapu Restoration Trust, and volunteers and supporters – including Triangle TV.

Triangle Television’s CEO Jim Blackman says he is proud to spearhead a gift of 2000 pohutukawas to the people of Auckland.

“The Triangle Television trees will provide shade and beauty for future generations of visitors and campers on Motutapu and, once again, in the height of summer, Home Bay will abound with crimson.”

Consistent with the station’s commitment to servicing the community, Blackman expects the project to help the station become carbon-neutral.

Everyone is invited to support the project with a donation of $50 – the cost of buying, planting and maintaining a pohutukawa tree.

Motutapu Restoration Trust spokeswoman Mary Flaws says Triangle Television’s contribution will be of significant benefit to the trust’s work.

“We have a long-term working plan – stretching out to the middle of the century,” says Flaws. “Some aspects of the planting could be done quickly by professionals. But ours is a long-term community project involving children and adults.

“Our need has been for funding to make it happen…Triangle Television has risen to this challenge. With its anniversary project, people who purchase a tree will develop a sense of ownership – a collective of individual actions leading to a great result.”

Department of Conservation’s project manager of the Rangitoto-Motutapu Pest Eradication Project is Richard Griffiths. He says Triangle Television’s pohutukawa trees will help form the basis for a coastal forest ecosystem.

“Within two to three years, the trees will start shading out pasture grasses and you’ll see a dramatic change. Leaf litter will build up, creating a habitat suitable for invertebrates, reptiles and forest birds. It’s amazing how quickly it happens”.

Blackman says the station decided to do something different to celebrate its first decade in broadcasting.

“Instead of the typical social function we decided to give back to the community that has supported us so well over the years,” he says.

Ends

About Triangle Television

The station operates two successful regional channels – Triangle Television Auckland, which has been broadcasting for 10 years, and Triangle Television Wellington, which launched in early 2006. Both are the only non-commercial terrestrial television stations operating in their areas.

Triangle programming is broadcast on sister station Stratos, which is the only station to go to both digital platforms Freeview and SKY TV.

Background information on the Triangle TV 10th Anniversary pohutukawa project

Motutapu’s Home Bay, where the Triangle Television pohutukawa trees will be planted, was once a regular day tripping destination for Aucklanders. Now, the bay has become stripped of trees and shade. And, across the island, only remnants of puriri, karaka, taraire, mangeao, kohekohe and flax, with some pohutukawa trees on the coastal fringe, survive.

The Motutapu regeneration programme, being driven by the Motutapu Restoration Trust with support from the Department of Conservation, volunteers and supporters such as Triangle Television, aims to restore up to a third of the island’s native bush areas.

Motutapu Restoration Trust spokeswoman Mary Flaws said Triangle Television’s contribution will be of significant benefit to the Trust’s work. She says: “We have a long-term working plan – stretching out to the middle of the century. Some aspects of the planting could be done quickly by professionals, but ours is a long-term community project involving children and adults. Our need has been for funding to make it happen … Triangle Television has risen to this challenge. With its anniversary project, people who purchase a tree will develop a sense of ownership – a collective of individual actions leading to a great result.”

The Triangle Television 10th Anniversary pohutukawa project comes at a time when Motutapu has entered a new phase of its history – becoming pest-free. Over the past 14 years, possums and wallabies have been eradicated from the island and the adjoining Rangitoto Island, and volunteers have planted more than 450,000 native trees and plants on 65 hectares of former pastureland.

Department of Conservation’s Project Manager of the Rangitoto-Motutapu Pest Eradication Project Richard Griffiths says: “Triangle Television’s pohutukawa trees will help form the basis for a coastal forest ecosystem. Within two to three years, the trees will start shading out pasture grasses and you’ll see a dramatic change. Leaf litter will build up, creating a habitat suitable for invertebrates, reptiles and forest birds. It’s amazing how quickly it happens”.

Not only will the project’s trees form an attractive coastal band, they will aid soil conservation, provide a new habitat for wildlife, and provide an ongoing source of seeds for future plantings across the Hauraki Gulf. Some trees will be planted to greet future visitors: others will be showcased on a poled walkway that leads inland.

The Motutapu Restoration Trust will eco-source Motutapu pohutukawa seedlings (Metrosideros excelsa) for Triangle’s anniversary project from Waiheke and the Trust’s own nursery on Motutapu, and will oversee planting and protection of the trees at Home Bay.

Established in 1994, Motutapu Restoration Trust has more than 1000 volunteers on its database and is estimated to have generated more than $2 million of conservation value to Motutapu, including current restoration work on the interior of the Reid homestead as part of its Heritage Home Bay Project.

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