Otuwhero Wetland Trust cites ‘sporting benefits’ of volunteer work
“Community conservation work should be designated a sport,” Helen Lindsay believes, “Then it might get more funding.” Helen is Chair of the Otuwhero Wetland Trust…
Moa vs Deer – are they so different?
Control possums, rodents and large introduced grazers and the forest understorey explodes with growth. It’s easy to think that this is what the original forests…
Community-led conservation dates back to 1960s at Bushy Park-Tarapuruhi
Bushy Park-Tarapuruhi Forest Sanctuary and Historic Homestead lies 25km north of Whanganui and has a long history of community-led conservation, going back to the early…
Monitoring methods trialled in Whangamarino wetland
Monitoring is an essential part of measuring the success of a predator control programme, but monitoring methods used in forests may not be directly applicable…
Wildlife Hospital patients show scars of narrow escapes
Injured and sick wildlife have been pouring into Dunedin’s new wildlife hospital since it opened just over a year ago. Some are sick and starving,…
Weka and 1080 – costs and benefits assessed
Weka are omnivores with a curiosity for anything new, which makes them vulnerable to 1080 poison. They’re known to swallow the types of pellets used…
NZ Conservation Trust raise kiwi and trap stoats
The New Zealand Conservation Trust (NZCT), based in Christchurch, has one of the largest kiwi breeding facility facilities in the South Island. They have an…
Insects get eaten too – so does predator control help grasshoppers?
Insects get eaten too. Scientists have reported that invertebrates have been found in 10-30% of cat guts and scats in the Mackenzie Basin, suggesting high…
Rat traps and weta hotels help wildlife at Hahei
On any one day over summer there can be 1500 holiday-makers resident at the Hahei Holiday Resort in the Coromandel. General Manager, Grant Kilby describes…
Rat genetics tracks invasion back through time
New Zealand researchers have been taking a closer look at the family histories of Man’s long-time travelling companion – the rat. Genealogy meets gene analysis…
Tamahunga Trappers look out for rare plants as well as wildlife
It’s not just native birds that the Tamahunga Trappers are keen to protect. There’s a native iris growing in their reserve that isn’t found anywhere…
Loss of wetlands continues
It’s a world-wide trend and New Zealand is not immune. Wetlands are being lost – 90% of New Zealand’s wetlands have disappeared since European settlement.…
PekaPeka bird feeder is a winner for its Dunedin designers
Harvey Penfold is a product design student, in his final year at Otago Polytech, Tahu Mackenzie is LEOTC (Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom) Education Officer…
Community groups under the microscope
Has your community group identified specific longterm conservation goals? What outcomes do you expect to see from the many hours of volunteer work that your…
Tree-climbing habits of predators studied
Many of NZ’s introduced mammal predators – including house mice – are good at climbing trees. To understand the impact they have on tree-nesting birds…
