Calendar to raise much-needed funds for Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay
Marie Taylor’s calendars have become a staple for the Hawke’s Bay plant community, and this year is no different, with her 2021 Calendar featuring native flora and fauna around the region.
Not only does it highlight native plants, and the work people in the community are doing, but it raises much-needed funds for Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay.
Taylor, founder of Plant Hawke’s Bay and recent Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) recipient, has spent the best part of her life devoted to protecting the country’s native flora and fauna in a variety of roles.
“We’ve got such a lovely flora in New Zealand and Hawke’s Bay, but the landscape is pretty skimmed out in a lot of places of its indigenous vegetation,” she said.
With some of the greatest loss of any region in New Zealand - up to 1.5 per cent of its original native vegetation in areas - Taylor says it is important to do what we can to protect and enhance it.
Her latest calendar is focused on the region’s farmers who have been planting natives for decades.
“Our farmers deserve a great deal more credit for the work they have been doing to improve biodiversity, add shade and shelter, filter run-off, enhance wetlands and riparian margins, and future-proof their properties.
“This calendar is one way to celebrate this and to enjoy their hard work all year round,” she said.
Taylor says the stories she learnt along the way were invaluable. The cover features the ‘St Andrews Wetland’ on Jim and Christine Spall’s property.
The Spall’s have been planting out their ponds and wetlands for several years and have taken the opportunity to use their planting projects as fundraisers for different community groups including with the parishioners of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Hastings and the Tikokino Young Farmer’s Club.
December features James Hunter who farms Rangitoto which stretches from the Blackhead Road through to the Huatokitoki Stream and has protected all the remnant native vegetation on the farm with QEII National Trust covenants, developed extensive wetlands and has planted for many years, with plants grown from seed sourced on the farm.
Sales from her 2020 Calendar that featured paintings of native plants by students at Mahora School raised about $1500 for the not for profit. She hopes she can match, if not beat that total this year.
Having created a calendar each year since 2005 for her personal use, it was not until her sister suggested she “lift her game” and collaborate with local artists, that she decided to do so, and use the opportunity to raise money for Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay.
“That year, I took photographs of local artists’ work in the bush associated with native plants and I thought if I’m going to go to all that trouble for the calendar I really should sell some, recover the costs and then donate the money.”
Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay general manager Debbie Monahan thanked Marie for her generosity.
“This is a wonderful gesture once again and it will help us highlight biodiversity in Hawke’s Bay and to make our communities more aware of the problems.”
Calendars can be purchased for $20 each, with proceeds going to Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay.
There are only a limited number of calendars for sale so get in quick – first in first served.
To order, email: info@biodiversityhb.nz
Payment and pick up details will be sent via reply email.
Two x pick up days – 21 and 22 Dec from Napier and Havelock North.
6 January 2021
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