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To: NPDC Mayor Neil Holdom, TRC Chairman David MacLeod, Transport Minister Phil Twyford, Assoc. Min. of Transport Julie-anne Genter, the Minister for the Environment and Minister of Conservation

No Mt Messenger Bypass - save Mangapēpeke Valley

We strongly urge you to decline consent to NZTA's proposed Mt Messenger Bypass. This new road will destroy 44.4 hectares of indigenous forest and wetlands, home to dozens of threatened or at-risk endemic species including North Island Brown Kiwi, the 'threatened-nationally vulnerable' Archey's frog and the 'nationally-vulnerable' NZ Long-tail Bat.

It is time to move on from fossil road projects and create a vibrant, sustainable Taranaki economy. An upgrade of the existing road makes far more sense.

Why is this important?

This new road will damage the "physically, spiritually and socially significant" Mimitangiatua River and Mangapēpeke Stream of Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama and Poutama. It will destroy 44.4 hectares of indigenous forest and wetlands that are home to dozens of threatened native species such as the North Island Brown Kiwi, Archey's frog, Long-tail Bats, Fernbirds, North Island Robins, Giant Kōkopu and Shining Cuckoo.

This proposal is opposed by the Department of Conservation, Forest & Bird and landowners who are being forced from their homes. Some iwi are yet to be fully consulted and other iwi are still deciding, being so far unsatisfied with mitigation offers.

Mangapēpeke means 'frog stream' and frogs are a well known environmental health indicator species. No amount of proposed tree planting and pest control can mitigate the damage actual forest removal and pest introduction this road will cause.

The 'bypass' should not go ahead. It makes no sense to destroy ancient forest communities just so cars and trucks can get from A to B a few minutes quicker. The touted safety improvements do not stack up when well-known fog and black ice in the proposed area is taken into account. Nor when increased speeds will also increase accident rates. The age of large truck transportation is coming to an end as fossil fuels become ethically unaffordable. So let's be practical, do we really need a brand new $200million road?

It is time to move on from fossil road projects and create a vibrant, sustainable Taranaki economy. An upgrade of the existing road makes far more sense.

Mount Messenger, Taranaki 4378, New Zealand

Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL

Updates

2023-03-16 22:03:52 +1300

As many of you know, whanau and supporters have been occupying the valley for some months now to try and stop the road being built and get government to choose the far less harmful alternative route ‘Option Z’. This option would also cost far less money - in a cost of living and climate crisis.
A new film about the plight of the Mangapepeke is currently in post-production. The local producers are seeking donations to help them finish it and get it out to the world. Click the link below to see a short snippet of the film, a reminder of the living beauty of Mangapepeke and why it must not be turned into another loud, polluting and dangerous road.
https://boosted.org.nz/projects/last-shot-at-messenger-post-production

If you are unable to donate, please share our page with your friends and family and help us to help share this story.

2021-05-10 10:36:50 +1200

We know it's been a long time since you've heard from us but the signatures have kept coming in and thanks to some great court challengers the road still does NOT have resource consent!

We were waiting to deliver the petition to parliament after the court process, to spark a Select Committee hearing, but we've now been advised to not wait and urge our Transport Minister Michael Wood to turn the project down now as a matter of national importance in a climate emergency. We need as many signatures as possible before we deliver our petition this month. Can you help?

Every little act we do now to stop climate change and save native wilderness is worth it. Please share this petition NOW.

Ngā mihinui,
Emily, Marie & friends.

PS. Iwi and hapū should still keep the lands and resource NZTA are promising them for this proposed new road, no matter what the decision.

The Mt Messenger Bypass Documentary (11:48) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aFGz_s-vh4

2020-09-14 09:22:45 +1200

10,000 signatures reached

2020-09-14 09:22:07 +1200

5,000 signatures reached

2020-09-14 09:21:37 +1200

1,000 signatures reached

2020-09-14 09:21:33 +1200

500 signatures reached

2020-09-14 09:21:29 +1200

50 signatures reached

2020-09-14 09:21:29 +1200

25 signatures reached

2020-09-14 09:21:29 +1200

100 signatures reached

2020-09-14 09:21:29 +1200

10 signatures reached