Nature Shed Goes Wild at A&P Show

Look for the vibrant mural at Hawke’s Bay Showgrounds and find out more about biodiversity inside the Nature Shed during the Royal A&P Show.  

The mural on the Nature Shed, formerly the home of the Acclimatisation Society, has been created by Hawke’s Bay artist Cinzah Merkens. 

Titled ‘Te Kaitiaki’ the mural features native creatures - a tuna (eel), a ruru (morepork, native owl), a tūī and puriri moth.  Cinzah has also been involved in the organisation and painting of the Sea Walls: Artists for Ocean murals across Napier. Photo: (from left) Sally Jackson A&P Show General Manager), Cinzah Merkens (artist) and Natalie de Burgh (HBRC) in front of the Nature Shed tui.

Inside the Nature Shed, a small, interesting world will unfold during Show Week showing the biodiversity value of farmland with the theme - Ko tū koe, ko rongo koe, farming with nature. 

The display shows a model farmland and highlights ways to enhance both biodiversity and productivity in our rural landscape.  Many species can thrive on farmland given the right conditions and the Nature Shed has lots of information on practical ways farmers and local communities can help biodiversity flourish in their area.

“We’re looking forward to seeing lots of people visit the Nature Shed and find out how they can help with protection of our native creatures and their habitats as we’ve lost so much already in Hawke’s Bay,” says Natalie de Burgh, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Biodiversity Advisor.

“We will also have some fun activities for kids, including holding weta, watching geckos, eels and kōaro, triggering a trap, water quality testing and sifting through leaf litter to find out what likes living there.  And please take a photo of yourself patting one of the mural creatures for a fun way to share a biodiversity message!”

The Nature Shed is a collaborative effort by fifteen different organisations working to enhance biodiversity in the region, including Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay.

Hawke’s Bay A&P Society General Manager Sally Jackson says the stunning transformation is radical. “The Hawke’s Bay A&P Society works hard to champion the primary industry, and working collaboratively with this group of organisations has been uplifting and incredibly effective”.

Fresh native plantings and a boardwalk are also new additions around the shed, extending the native planting behind the shed, which was planted by Mahora school children. 

 Hawke’s Bay Show Week is from 17 – 19 October.

11 October 2018

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