F&B MANAWATŪ MAY 2025 TRIP REPORT

Before starting the exploration of the Lake and Bush, we were told about Māori history which gave us a greater appreciation for how Europeans have completely modified the previous wetland environment that had been both the home and larder of the local iwi.

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F&B MANAWATŪ MAY 2025 TRIP TO:

Lake Papaitonga Scenic Reserve/F&B Horowhenua plant
nursery/Horowhenua college butterfly project.

Saturday 24 th May,2025

Dean Wilson from Muaūpoko Tribal Authority Inc. and Lindsay from F&B Horowhenua branch guided 17 of us around Lake Papaitonga Scenic Reserve, and we were very privileged to be guided by Dean.

Dean’s encyclopaedic knowledge of his own whakapapa and the history of the site, and the greater geographic area, was fascinating and added weight to the appreciation of the dense bush and the sparkling lake.

We were then guided by Dean and Lindsay to look at the F&B supported plantings at the west side of the lake and, after that, visited the F&B Plant Nursery where we stopped to have lunch.

In the afternoon we visited Prouse Bush in Levin (supported by F&B Horowhenua branch) and then Geoff Williamson and his daughter Saoirse guided us around the Horowhenua College Native Butterfly and Moth project and sanctuary.

Thank you to all of our wonderful hosts and a special thanks to the weather that put on the perfect blue dome autumn day.
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Rosemary Cullen
F&B Manawatū Trip Coordinator