Rhythm and Vines organisers say they are investing “significant resources” to look after the venue and surrounding native bush area following concerns about visitors leaving piles of rubbish behind.

Well-known local bushman and educator Sam “The Trap Man” Gibson issued a message to visiting festival-goers through social media before the event, asking them to keep things clean.

He highlighted the large amount of litter he said was left behind by R&V attendees in the neighbouring scenic reserve Gray’s Bush after previous events.

“As a whānau, we find a lot of RTD bottles and cardboard cartons, we have found wine bottles full of urine, bongs, used condoms, you name it, just the usual party paraphernalia,” Gibson told the Gisborne Herald.

“It has been really bad over the last few years at Makauri Bush/Gray’s Bush.”

Although organisers of R&V sent in clean-up crews, Gibson said they couldn’t find all the rubbish left behind off track, which meant Department of Conservation staff and residents were left to clean it up.

“The issue is far greater than just Makauri Bush, however. The sheer amount of rubbish strewn throughout the Waioeka where we run a 30,000ha whio conservation project The Eastern Whio Link is just as disgusting.

“The rubbish left at the beach, the whole Tairāwhiti region absorbs the impacts of this festival and many of the visitors that come simply don’t respect our environment or our community.”

Gibson said R&V visitors represented the whānau and community they came from and were doing them a disservice if they left a mess.

Keeping everyone in the venue with increased camping capacity was a good thing, but he wanted a bigger discussion around the culture promoted by R&V.

“The lack of messaging around respecting our region, the lack of messaging around the environment in general and the lack of action when it comes to cleaning up the impacts of the festival in the Waioeka and at the beaches needs to be addressed.

Those involved in the Eastern Whio Link conservation project would love to have support from the organisers of R&V with cleaning up the Waioeka area after the event, he said.

“We understand that locals litter too, but not to the extent we see associated with the R&V event.”

Sam “The Trap Man” Gibson says R&V visitors represent the whānau and community they came from and it would do them a disservice if they left a mess.

A Rhythm and Vines spokesperson said it took its role in kaitiakitanga, or guardianship of the land, seriously.

“Each year we continue to invest significant resources to ensure the venue site and surrounding areas are well looked after both during and after the festival.

A crew of more than 80 were employed in waste management across the festival site and surrounding areas. The event was single-use-plastic free and the spokesperson said about 90% of rubbish produced by the event was recycled.

“The waste management teams are engaged to collect rubbish down every side road between Gisborne Hospital and R&V, as well as Gray’s Bush during the event and following.”

Their Bookatent system had also helped reduce up to 40 tonnes of landfill waste caused by single-use tents since it was launched in 2020.

“Communication is sent to all attendees to get into the festive spirit of Rhythm and Vines,” the spokesperson said.

“This festival spirit reflects a shared belief in the principles of manaakitanga (hospitality), kotahitanga (unity), kaitiakitanga (guardianship of the land), hauora (safety and wellbeing), kōrero pono (positive communication) and te whakanui i te kanorau (celebrating diversity).”

“We strongly encourage our festival-goers to treat our home and the wider region with respect, ensuring that any waste is disposed of thoughtfully and in the correct way.”

According to information available online from the Department of Conservation, Gray’s Bush scenic reserve is a nesting, resting and feeding habitat for native and introduced bird species, including bellbird, fantail, goldfinch, harrier hawk, kingfisher, magpie, pheasant, pipit, redpoll, silver eye, skylark, sparrow, thrush, tūī, grey warbler, shining cuckoo and blackbird.

It is one of the few forested areas remaining in the Gisborne plains, primarily with kahikatea (podocarp) and pūriri along with some pukatea, māhoe and tawa,