Canterbury Biodiversity: The Honda Connection
Canterbury Plains as seen from Mt. Hutt
Courtesy of Wikipedia
I am often amazed at what I find when I am looking at the news. This item touched me because of the massive effort to really change things in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand. I hope I can condense the effort and still keep the majesty of it.
The Canterbury Region of New Zealand is a far cry from the City of Canterbury, England. They might be considered polar opposites. The city in England is about 119 square miles, while the Canterbury Region in New Zealand is 17,500 square miles. The Canterbury Region in New Zealand has a diversified economy including fishing, farming, vineyards, forestry and much more. There is also tourism, like the city in England. The area of the Region is near ten times the size of the city, but the population is little over five times that of the city.
The recent allocation of $112,500 to biodiversity projects in the vast region may not sound like a lot for such a large area. The thirteen projects include planting trees, native planting, weed and pest control and fencing that is stock-proof. The areas to be covered are wetlands, hill catchments, dry land reserves, lowland streams and native vegetation remnants. One property in the project has undergone thirty years of painstaking work to bring back the natural environment and now the birds are actually planting the seeds of the future there. One of the projects will provide stock-proof fencing to protect the area.
Environment Canterbury already allocates $400,000 per year for biodiversity projects in the region. The recent allocation is to subsidize the ongoing improvement that the public is committed to achieving. The best is yet to come. Honda is also on board with the Honda Tree Fund. Honda sponsors ten trees in the region for every new car sold and three more are funded by Honda dealerships.
All of this is in addition to the $1.24 million allocated through The Immediate Steps Program a part of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy. These agencies are working together to recreate the Canterbury Region through good stewardship practices. It’s a model that all countries should take a look at although some of the funding comes in through third party sources.
Biodiversity is being studied now in as a means of controlling the pest problems that are on the rise. Entomologists believe that when we find the right combination of species, the status quo will be established again and pests won’t be a problem anymore. That may seem like a faraway dream, but in Canterbury they believe it can be done.
Arizona is an arid land with special needs; water is the biggest problem because it attracts pests who cannot live without it. They seek our shade, our water, and our cool homes in summer. In winter the pests seek our heat, our shelter from the storms. Termite control in Gilbert looks for areas that are attractive to pests. A crack or a leak is like a welcome mat, inviting pests into Arizona homes. It’s a great comfort to take in the welcome mat and keep the pests outside where they belong, at least until the biodiversity ideal is reached and the pests don’t come knocking anymore.
Scottsdale AZ –
Termite Control Arizona
6501 East Greenway Parkway #103
Scottsdale AZ
(480) 582-1085
