North Canterbury News: August 20, 2020

NEWS
8 North Canterbury News, August 20, 2020
Park rangers
run sessions
Two Tuhaitara Coastal Park rangers
have been holding storytime talks at
Waimakariri Libraries this week to
celebrate Conservation Week.
They provided children and families
the chance to see one of the region’s
rarest fish species during the talks.
Canterbury’smudfish,the kowaro,is
found in lowland waterways around
Oxfordand southtothe Waitaki River.
‘‘They wereonce widespread on the
Canterbury Plains, in wetlands which
are now mostly drained,’’ park general
manager Greg Brynes says.
The Department of Conservation
rankedthe mudfish as nationally
endangered in 2005.
Their biggest threatisdamage to their
habitat, mainly through drainage on
privateland.
The first storytime events were held at
the Rangiora and Oxfordlibraries last
Tuesday.One was alsoheld at the
Kaiapoi Library last Wednesday, and
another will be held at the Rangiora
Library this morning(Thursday, August
18) starting at 10am.
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2021055
PRESENT S
Catlins win for Summerfield
By LINDSAY KERR
Rangiora’s Matt
Summerfield celebrated
his 100th competitive rally
start with acomprehensive
victory in the recent Catlins
Rally.
Driving his newly
acquired Mitsubishi AP4
rally car, time was lost on
the first stage after aspin,
but he and new co­driver
Jared Christofferson
followed it up by winning
the remaining four stages
to etch out a38.8 second
advantage.
Victory in the Catlins
Rally had been in his sights
twice before, last year
being his closest attempt,
but it ended with his
Subaru Impreza off the
road.
The event, around of the
Mainland series, drew a
bumper field of 88 starters.
The Catlins win was the
second time Matt has won
the same event as his
father, Les, who also won in
2002 and 2004.
They have also shared
victories in the Canterbury
Rally.
Matt will reunite with
regular co­driver, sister
Nicole, for the remaining
events on this season’s rally
calendar. This includes the
local Ashley Forest
Rallysprint, scheduled for
September 20 and 21.
Rallying pair ... Matt
Summerfield with his sister,
Nicole, who will be his codriver
for the rest of the
season.
PHOTOS: FILE
In action ... Matt
Summerfield attacks the
dipper on his way down the hill
during the 2019 Ashley Rally.
Unique species in wetland
Recent mapping of awetlandonMtFyffe
Farm,near Kaikoura,has revealed
unique plant speciesnot seen elsewhere
in the district.
The manuka­dominant wetland hosts
native vegetationincluding harakekeand
purei(sedges), and swampastelia,which
is uncommon on the eastcoast,
Environment Canterbury says.
The wetland borders the Ka Whata Tu
oRakihouia Conservation Park,managed
by the Department of Conservation.
It was first surveyed earlierinthe year,
before being mapped and recorded to
capture its true areaand ecologicalvalue.
The farm is owned by the Richardson
family, which received ImmediateSteps
biodiversityfunding of up to $18,000 to
fence 1.9 hectares of wetland.
Landowner PhilRichardson says
fencing thearea helpsprotectits
uniqueness.‘‘Water collects thereand
then flows into Goldmine Creek. It’s anobrainer
to protect it, really.”
Planting and seeding the wetland
edges,plus weed and predator control,
will alsohelp create abooming
biodiversityhotspotonthe farm.
Phil manages the sheepand beeffarm
with his son, Josh, and bothare keento
protect the wetland. “With all the work
we have done on the farm with gorse and
old man’s beard, these latest efforts are a
natural progression,’’Phil says.
$10,000 in cash prizes to be won!
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Live Performances @ The Geraldine domain, south canterbury
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14 November 2020
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We welcome applications from groups, duos
or solo artists. Weencourage everyone who
has song writing and instrumental talents to
consider entering, but you need tobe
available to perform live atthe Festival on
Saturday 14 th November 2020.
We will select acts to perform with the chance ofwinning the first prize of
$5,000, 2nd prize $3,000, 3rd prize of$1,000 orPeople's Choice $1,000
12 -15Nov 2020
www.geraldinefestival.co.nz
1) Entry Forms must be received by31st August`2020.
2) We will select finalists from all of the Acts who apply to perform live at
the ‘Battle ofthe Sounds’.
3) The competition will take place on Saturday 14th November 10am –
3pm.
4) Acts may perform their own material orcovers.
5) The Act finishing in first place will perform asong of their choice
following the prize giving.
6) It is in your interests to encourage your fans tocome along tothe final to
vote for you, sospread the word toyour on-line following.
Apply: gldarts@xtra.co.nz by 31st August 2020