Task Force Green crews in the Whakatāne District are making great progress cleaning up flood and storm damage on rural properties – so good in fact that they’re looking for more challenges to tackle.

The Enhanced Task Force Green Project has been jointly established by the Ministry of Social Development and Whakatāne District Council to help the rural community get back on its feet with clean-up work on farms and rural properties.

TFG Supervisor Ivan Muncaster says requests for help are being coordinated by the Rural Support Trust, which has been responding to calls from all over the District.

“The Task Force Green teams have all their own equipment, and their effort comes at no cost to people who need assistance. In the last three weeks, TFG teams have helped more than a dozen property owners with clearing debris from paddocks, fixing fences, removing trees, clearing sites of silted rubbish and allowing them to get back to some sort of normality,” he says.

While it’s recognised that in some instances heavy equipment is required to clear some areas before the TFG crews can start work, the teams have been able to support these efforts. For example, in the last week TFG teams cleared and repaired seven kilometres of fences.

Scheme Coordinator Robyn Stokes says the teams are “really relishing the opportunity to get stuck-in and help property owners”.

“We’ve had great feedback about the quality and volume of the work they are getting through, so we’d encourage anyone in the rural sector who has flood or storm damage that needs to be put right to give us a call,” she says. 

Anyone in the rural community who needs help to clean up flood and storm damage can call Federated Farmers: 0800 327 646. (select 4), or ring Rural Support (Darryl Jensen - 021 332 216).