New Toyota Kiwi Guardians sites for the Manawatu - Horowhenua region in time for the school holidays

By Wright Communications

The three new sites are at the Manawatu Estuary near Foxton; the Alice Nash Memorial Heritage Lodge Track at Apiti, north east of Kimbolton; and the Papaitonga Scenic Reserve just south of Levin.

The Manawatu Estuary features mudflats, godwits, mud snails and crabs, as well as the opportunity to explore the sandy beach. Foxton Beach school children will participate in the opening of the site from 10am on Thursday 13 April.

The Alice Nash Memorial Heritage Lodge Track leads to a hut - be prepared for some uphill exertion to get there, but the views across the Ruahine Ranges are well worth it.

Within Papaitonga Scenic Reserve is Lake Waiwiri, a dune lake that provides an important sanctuary for recovering wetland birds.  There is also fungi, mosses and plants. At each site, exploring children can find a code on the Guardian Post and enter it on www.kiwiguardians.co.nz to claim a participation medal.

The programme to help children and their families explore New Zealand's great outdoors and to increase Kiwi kids' connection with the natural world across the nation has been going for just over a year and has had nearly 6,000 participants.

"We are excited to be working with DOC on a project that encourages Kiwi Kids to conserve our natural environment and have fun doing it," said Toyota New Zealand CEO, Alistair Davis.

"Like DOC, Toyota is passionate about making it easy for families to have great experiences in our national parks and reserves and realise they are worth protecting."

Toyota Kiwi Guardians has been developed by the Department of Conservation in partnership with Toyota and local land owners and managers.

With the three new sites in the Manawatu - Horowhenua opening for the school holidays, the nationwide network now has 62 sites between Goat Island near Warkworth in the north and the Kepler Track in Fiordland in the Deep South.

Families can get started on their adventures today by visiting: www.kiwiguardians.co.nz

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