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Waikowhai kereru sanctuary

• Project background
• Vision and objectives
• Volunteer activities
• Results

Project background

A string of native bush reserves lies along the northern edge of the Manukau Foreshore. They comprise of significant remnants of Auckland's native coastal forest, and act as a habitat corridor for wildlife in the suburbs of Blockhouse Bay, Lynfield, Waikowhai and Hillsborough. If properly cared for the Manukau Foreshore has the potential to support a diverse range of native wildlife.

In the past, Kereru (New Zealand pigeon) were observed in the area. Kereru is adopted as the 'icon' species for this project because they are an important part of native bush ecosystems. They feed on the large fruit of native trees, and aid in seed dispersal and native tree regeneration. The bird is a good indicator of forest health. Kereru numbers are declining nationwide due to loss of habitat and pressure from introduced predators. With your help, we can halt this decline.

Currently, an enthusiastic and dedicated group of 25+ local volunteers are carrying out intensive control of possums and rodents within a 75 hectare area. There are also other conservation activities taking place in the area: contract specialists are controlling weed infestations, others have been earmarked for revegetation with native species and some areas where pines were removed have already been replanted with native species. The ecological significance of the area, the presence of Kereru, and the current actions and established support for conservation of the area make the network of parks along the Manukau Foreshore an excellent place to establish a wildlife sanctuary.

Vision and objectives

Vision

To create a wildlife sanctuary: a predator-free zone for the protection of wildlife and the re-introduction of rare birds and insects.

Objectives

• to reduce possum and rat numbers to low levels within the sanctuary zone
• to expand current pest control activities to feral cats and stoats
• to expand current animal pest control activities from 75 to 140 hectares
• to identify Kereru nesting sites and establish animal pest traps around them
• to establish bird, insect and invertebrate monitoring sites
• to establish a panel of expert people to provide ongoing guidance
• to encourage students to study flora and fauna within the sanctuary zone.

Volunteer activities

A number of opportunities exist for volunteers. They include:

• animal pest control
• animal pest monitoring
• track maintenance and creation
• planting and weeding
• bird monitoring and nest searching
• opportunities for research students studying the impacts of urbanisation on ecology
• participation on the expert panel
• creation of educational materials about the project

Results

Animal pest control volunteers check and re-load traps twice per week during Autumn (March to May) and Spring (August to December). The results of their efforts can be seen below:

You can contact us if you would like more information about this project.

Wattle Bay Reserve

Wattle Bay Reserve from the sea

Updated September 2009