Highlighting community conservation efforts – Jacob Lucas
We asked Jacob, a tireless and super committed member of the MCC team a few questions:
How did you get involved in the MCC and what’s your role?
I sit on the Recreation and Access group and Pest Management group where I am Chair.
Why did you choose to get involved?
I live in the lower Motueka Valley and also work for Fish & Game, so I felt I could contribute both through a personal and professional lens. Personally, I love this area – the Motueka Valley is a beautiful slice of Aotearoa, and I want to help improve the environment both at a wider scale and on my own 5ha property. Professionally, Fish & Game has been involved in similar environmental work the MCC has an interest in for many years (e.g. river health and monitoring, environmental advocacy, wetlands), and the Motueka catchment is one of our regions most important trout fisheries, with high angler use and a significant professional guiding industry centred around it – so it made sense to get involved.
How have you enjoyed being involved in the MCC so far?
Working with likeminded people who share a passion for our catchment is a real pleasure. I value how the MCC is all about getting stuff done at grassroots level, making it easy for people to get involved in environmental initiatives, either on their own land or elsewhere. I’d like to acknowledge the dedicated MCC staff and Steering Group who have done a great job bringing everything together – E mihi ana te kaimahi mō tō kaitiakitanga ki a koutou!
What are you proud of achieving so far?
We have held several successful Old Man’s Beard weeding events at the iconic Haycocks Bush, with fantastic support from the community and our tireless Motueka OMB Group (who we are lucky to have). We have been successful in getting funding to support local backyard trapping projects, and kick off the Shedwood Bush birdsong project in Tapawera. Our MCC trap subsidy has been rolled out and it’s been heartening to see the high level of interest in trapping from people who live in and around Motueka – we all want more native birds in their environment and predator control through trapping is one of the best ways to achieve this.
What are you hoping to achieve?
We want to build on the predator control already in action by individuals and groups and encourage landowners to get traps on their farms, lifestyle blocks and backyards. We want to support and preserve our remnant native forests within the valley by undertaking weed control, and make sure our new biodiversity plantings are cared for. We want to help arm landowners with the skills and tools they need to carry out their own weed and predator control.
What do you like most about the Motueka catchment and where you live?
The attributes of the Motueka catchment are too numerous to list. I like the diverse nature of the catchment, with streams originating from all directions and each one unique. We are lucky to be flanked by Kahurangi National Park which is a biological and geological hotspot; it has high quality freshwater originating from the mountains and provides incredible recreational opportunities. It’s a great place to raise a family. I also love the trout fishing – the Motueka is one of the best fishing rivers in the country.
