From: Penelope Ridings [[email protected]] Sent: Monday, April 06, 2015 8:11:13 PM To: TCDC General Mail Address Subject: Long Term Plan for Coromandel: Waikato Biodiversity Forum Submission on 2015-2025 Long Term Plan I am writing on behalf of the Mana Manu Trust, a community group of landowners in Whangapoua which was established to rid our area of introduced pests so that kiwi may eventually return to the area. We recently held our AGM, during which the Trust members expressed their support for the work that the Waikato Biodiversity Forum does in informing community conservation groups of events and action that we can take to preserve and enhance biodiversity in our area. Our concern is that the removal of the Natural and Cultural Activity stream in the TCDC 2015-2025 Long Term Plan appears to have the consequence that the Waikato Biodiversity Forum would no longer receive funding from TCDC. As a community group committed to biodiversity protection, we consider that the Forum should continue to be supported. It provides us with valuable information and education on biodiversity programmes as well as strategies to deal with pests through baiting regimes, and to halt Kauri dieback disease, which is not yet present on our properties, but which is in the neighbouring Whangapoua forest. The Long Term Plan needs to rely on community groups to pursue the objectives of the TCDC - to make the Coromandel New Zealand's most desirable place to live, work and visit. Community groups such as ours need, in turn, to rely on activities such as the Waikato Biodiversity Forum where we can obtain advice and assistance in pursuing biodiversity aims. The Trust hopes that the TCDC will reconsider this aspect of the Long Term Plan. Yours sincerely Penny Ridings Secretary, Mana Manu Trust