Hosting the First Nation.

On 6th April, Phil and Alan hosted a group of 1st Nation people from the Winnemem Wintu tribe in California at the hatchery along with local IWI folk, DOC staff, Fish and Game, and land owners. The group came out to the hatchery to familiarize themselves with the operation and to study the native plantings that have taken place in the area to improve the environment for plants and aquatic animals and fish. Both the local IWI and the tribe planted a couple of trees, Kahikatea, to symbolize their connections to the environment and to each other. The tribe are over here in NZ as part of their quest to return some salmon eggs back to their local river in California to start up their own salmon run which has been decimated due to river dams.       

The tree planting ceremony along side Mckinnons Creek.

Some of the group present on the day.