Hatched in the forest near Owhango, Sally Lashmar and Tania De Witt heard little sounds of the birdlife and set out to change that, with their first meeting held with other like-minded members of the community it was the start of what was to become Owhango Alive in future years.    

Sally and Tania attended a conference in Omori at Oreti which inspired them to develop their trapping program further. The group then held a conference at Brocks Farm complex with invited speaker Doctor Carolyn (Kim) King who spoke about the predators to target and their habitats, to ensure effectiveness in the trapping program.  Dan Steele from Blue Duck Lodge, Leon Stratford a well known trapper also were amongst the featured speakers, along with Project Tongariro, Jean Stanley of Pukawa Trust,…Read More

In 2015, significant progress was made in conservation efforts. On 26 January, Good Nature A24 gas-operated traps were installed during a working bee with DOC assistance, and the brochure was approved in a meeting and subsequently distributed to motels and the information centre. Around the same time, Sally and Marion attended a five-minute bird count course with DOC in Ohakune. In March, Taumarunui High School students and Geoff Marshall visited with a conservation-trained dog, promoting biodiversity protection. On 12 April,…Read More

In 2017, pest control efforts showed promising results, with Clive conducting track tunnel monitoring in January, revealing significantly lower pest numbers and a reduced trap catch rate. A new trap line, named the Tawa Line, was established on the left-hand side of the road, further strengthening predator management strategies. Conservation efforts were also supported by community-driven fundraising, with a successful quiz night on 30 July raising $1,140, and stoat tails winning a firearm, which was later sold to generate additional…Read More

In 2018, Sally and David R created the first official 2019 conservation calendar, boosting awareness and raising valuable funding. On 14 January 2019, Sarah Cull-Luketina’s film screening of Battling Extinction about the endemic long tailed bats (Pekapeka-tou-roa) drew 45 attendees, raising awareness for local conservation. From 24 January to 8 February, a ferret incursion led to 17 ferrets trapped, reinforcing the need for strong predator control.  A bird count with audio recordings also launched, improving native bird tracking. The sponsored…Read More

In 2020 and 2021, Ōwhango Alive made great strides in conservation, predator control, and community engagement. In 2020, Sally and Mark gave presentations at the Lake Taupō Caravan Club, Rotary meetings, eco forums, Age Concern RSA, and in newspaper interviews. On 27 September 2020, the group celebrated World Rivers Day with a Pestival, bringing locals together for conservation efforts. In 2021, the group hosted a kiwi release ceremony with a karakia led by Jim Komene, Peter Te Ahuru, Mat Howell,…Read More