The Styx Newsletter

April 2026 - Edition 29

Welcome Back! Nau mai hoki mai!

Welcome to the newest edition of the Styx Living Laboratory Trust‘s quarterly newsletter! Within this issue you‘ll learn about all the amazing things the Trust has been up to and how we plan to move forwards.

Panui koa!

Creature Feature!

Kārearea | New Zealand Falcon

The kārearea is Aotearoa New Zealand’s apex avian predator, with a highly varied diet that reflects its environment. Its prey includes birds, introduced mammals, insects, and even lizards. Renowned for its speed and agility, the kārearea is among the fastest birds in the world, capable of reaching speeds of up to 200 km/h while diving for prey.

Although sightings of kārearea within the Styx catchment are rare, the field team has recorded one individual during planting work, along with several other confirmed observations in the area. With the continued restoration of native bush ecosystems, it is hoped that this species will return to the catchment in greater numbers over time.

What’s going on at the Styx

Staff

These months have been very active for the field staff getting everything ready for the planting season. Maintenance and site preparation are well underway to ensure successful planting outcomes. In addition, they have been involved in some excellent lizard work. Since October last year, the team has completed work across 12 sites throughout the Christchurch region. These projects have included a mix of private development sites and council land. The scope of work has ranged from salvage and relocation operations to post-release monitoring, helping to establish long-term population trends and ensure positive conservation outcomes for our native lizard species.

The last four months have seen a lot of staff changes for the Trust. We have said goodbye to multiple team members and welcomed new ones on board. We have said a heartfelt farewell to Jackie Howard (community coordinator), Anita Spencer (project manager), Matt Culf (field staff), Hugh Oliver (field staff), and Hannah Watkinson (Chair). Their mahi has been incredible and they will be missed. We wish them the best on all of their future endeavors. We have said a warm welcome to Terra Dumont (community coordinator), George Beattie (programme manager), Darcy Kusabs (field staff), Ashley-James Fitzgerald (field staff), Dr. Jon Harding (Trustee), and Sara Templeton (Trustee).

George Beattie, Programme Manager

Growing up in Wānaka, George developed a strong connection to the outdoors and the landscapes that shape our communities. He studied Environmental Science at Lincoln University and has since built experience across the environmental sector, from working with Sustainable Coastlines to running his own environmental management business.

He brings hands-on experience in native restoration and has worked across both central and regional government, giving him a practical understanding of how policy and on-the-ground action come together. He’s passionate about restoring waterways, strengthening biodiversity, and helping communities care for the places they love.

When he’s not working, you’ll likely find him trail running or tramping in the hills, snowboarding in winter, or heading out for a surf.

Terra Dumont, Community Coordinator

Terra leads our community engagement and outreach for the Trust. This includes: running our education program, managing our volunteers, liaising with other aligned organisations, working with landowners and businesses, and supporting our portfolio holders and Trustees. Her background is in conservation ecology, herpetology, and managing Trusts. In her free time she enjoys climbing, mountaineering, ski-touring and all things mountains!

Ashley-James Fitzgerald, Field Staff

Before joining the trust, Ashley-James earned a degree in biology and psychology from the University of Canterbury. During his school years, he had the honour of sporting the fern emblem while competing in age-group rowing teams at international competitions. Currently, he has discovered a new passion and can often be found training for his next trail run.

Dr. Jon Harding, Trustee

Jon has been a freshwater scientist for over 30 years, having undertaken research in New Zealand, USA, Singapore, Tonga and Nigeria. He has published seven books and over 150 scientific papers and reports. In both Singapore and Nigeria he helped produced the first keys to identifying freshwater invertebrates in those countries. Jon has focussed most of his research on the impacts of human activities on streams and rivers. He knows enough about lakes and wetlands to be dangerous! He has worked extensively on urban, agricultural and mining impacted systems. Jon has two doctorates (a PhD and a DSc) and he is a Professor Emeritus of the University of Canterbury. You can follow Jon on Twitter (jonharding333).

Sara Templeton, Trustee

Sara is a New Zealand politician and former member of the Christchurch City Council. A former teacher and small business owner, Sara was first elected to the Hagley–Ferrymead community board in 2013 and was councillor for the Heathcote ward since 2016 until 2025.

Creative Communicators

We have just welcomed onboard our new creative communicator - Ariana Tikao.

Ariana is a musician, composer and writer whose compelling work explores her Kāi Tahu identity, and ancestral stories with an emphasis on wāhine narratives. She was awarded as a 2020 Arts Laureate by the Arts Foundation of New Zealand.

Ariana has three critically acclaimed solo albums, and has worked on many other collaborative music and multi-media projects spanning a 30-year creative career. She specialises in Aotearoa’s indigenous instruments, collectively known as taonga puoro. She has performed as a soloist and performer-composer with many of Aotearoa-New Zealand’s orchestras including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, as well as chamber ensembles Stroma and the New Zealand String Quartet.

In 2024 Ariana performed at the Pitt Rivers Museum as part of an ongoing collaboration for their Making the Museum project; performed with Sophia Acheson at the International Viola Congress in Brazil; and in 2025 collaborated with musicians and writers in Sweden and the UK.

Her writing has appeared in Takahē, Turbine|Kapohau, Landfall, and Cordite. She has also contributed poems, chapters, and essays to several books, including the award-winning Bill Hammond: Across the Evening Sky, and A Record Could Be Your Whole World (Ilam Press, 2024). In 2022, Ariana published her book Mokorua: My Story of Moko Kauae through Auckland University Press, and also completed her MA in Creative Writing through the International Institute of Modern Letters. In 2023 Ariana her book Te Rā: The Māori Sail was published, and she was an Ursula Bethell writer in residence at the University of Canterbury, where she worked on a collection of poetry Pepeha Portal which will be published by Otago University Press in April 2026.

Photo by Ebony Lamb.

Volunteering

Our volunteers have been very active, with two new volunteer opportunities starting up, as well as the field volunteer programme starting for the season, in addition to our regular volunteer events. Dr. Jon Harding has restarted the fresh water invertebrate monitoring programme. He has had a lot of interest and ran a successful introductory course a few weekends ago. Dr. Anthony Shadbolt created Friends of Te Waoku Kahikatea Reserve. They meet 11 am - 1 pm first Saturday of every month to conduct ecological restoration work within the reserve.

Summer in the Styx

Our annual Summer in the Styx event was highly successful. We had a great turnout and everyone was very engaged. It was great to see so many people excited about our awa!

Education

We have supported smultiple education days including St. Bede’s Year 11 Geography field trip, Marian College Year 11 Geography Field trip, and padding down the awa with students from Te Kura in collaboration with KORE.

Paddling the awa with Te Kura

Dr. Jon Harding teaching St. Bede’s Y11 Geography class about freshwater invertebrates.

Leo Fietje teaching Marian College Y11 Geography class about water quality monitoring.

What’s next?

We are in the last few months of Project Kōtare (funded by MfE Jobs for Nature) which ends June 30th, so our focus is on finalising the project, delivering the benefits, and planning for our future. The Trust looks forward to continuing the good mahi in the catchment, connecting with the communities that support the Trust, and working on opportunities for growth in the future. 

As always, keep your eye on our website, Facebook, and Instagram for upcoming events, volunteering opportunities, and other exciting catchment news!

Upcoming Events

Mother of All Clean Ups

9 am - 12 pm Saturday 9 May, 72 Kainga Road.

Help us clean up Kāinga Creek!

Please bring: water, snacks, sunscreen, sun hat, appropriate clothes and shoes for working in rough and muddy terrain, warm clothes, and any necessary medications.

We will supply gloves (feel free to bring your own if you have a favorite pair), buckets and other equipment.

Rotary Epic Day of Service

10 am - 2 pm Saturday 16 May, 72 Kainga Road.

Come help restore Kāinga Creek! There will be a community planting project, as well as a trap building workshop, and a free sausage sizzle!

For more information please click here.

Contact us

thestyx.org.nz

contact@thestyx.nz

0220773997