Ko tēnei te wiki o te reo Māori. It’s Māori Language Week and to celebrate we thought we’d profile some beautiful Māori words from nature and share with you their meanings.
While we often hear scientific names used for species in conservation, their indigenous names can invoke, inspire and reveal some of the many wonders of nature in Aotearoa…
Werewere-kōkako (meaning: wattles of the kōkako)
The name for this beautiful, blue native mushroom takes its name from the wattles of our stunning kōkako bird. ‘Werewere’ can mean hanging or suspended, but in this case it’s the name for the wattles of a bird.
In Māori mythology Punga was the god and ancestor of all ugly things. Our most famous insect, the giant wētā, is named after the god himself – wētāpunga. ‘Te aitanga a Punga’ meaning the progeny of Punga refers to a wide range of sea and land creatures including lizards and octopuses.
Pua o te Rēinga (meaning: flower of the underworld)
Pua o te Rēinga, meaning flower of the underworld, is our only fully parasitic flowering plant. It parasitises the roots of trees and remains underground until it flowers, when its pushes through to the forest floor and is naturally pollinated by pekapeka/short-tailed bats.
Coral polyps are tiny little animals that are related to anemones and jellyfish. They secrete calcium carbonate that builds up rock-hard external skeletons but leave small holes where the polyps live – hence the Māori name toka pokapoka.
The silvereye was first recorded in New Zealand in 1832 and since there is no evidence that it was artificially introduced, it is classified as a native species. Its late arrival has earned it the Māori name, tauhou, means ‘stranger’ or more literally ‘new arrival’.
Hura te ao geckos have black eyes, yellow-orange lips, and fine white spots. They are found in two mountain ranges in North Otago. Hura te ao means ‘to reveal the light’ but can also mean the break of dawn. Their Māori name is inspired by their colour pattern, the colour around the mouth resembling light appearing at sunrise.
New Zealand’s tallest moss, Dawsonia superba can grow up to 60 centimetres, reaching heights normally reserved for vascular plants. It is the tallest self supporting moss in the world. The Māori name pāhau-kākāpō meaning ‘beard of the kākāpō’ is a reference to the spiky whiskers of our largest native parrot.
The word kōtare sometimes referred to the elevated platform in a pā, used to watch for enemies. This is perfect for the kōtare which finds the perfect lookout spot, perches motionless then attacks its prey from out of nowhere.
Please note thatte reo Māori is a diverse language and there are many names and stories attributed to nature. These are just some of the names and meanings that are used.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) and Te Iwi O Te Roroa are today announcing the awarding of the tender for the reconstruction of the bridge, boardwalk, and viewing platform at Tāne Mahuta to Milton Harward Construction.
This work is part of phase one of ‘Rākau Rangatira’ a partnership project between DOC and Te Iwi O Te Roroa to upgrade both the visitor infrastructure and the visitor experience in Northland’s Waipoua Forest.
Tāne Mahuta Walk to temporarily close
Construction is due to commence on 30 September 2024. While this work is underway access to Tāne Mahuta will be closed for approximately eight weeks in advance of the busy summer season. Kauri Walks (Te Matua Ngahere) will remain open for visitors to enjoy Waipoua.
DOC’s Kauri Coast Operations Manager Stephen Soole says Tāne Mahuta and the other Rākau Rangatira (Chiefly Trees) of Waipoua are at serious risk from the further irreversible spread of kauri dieback disease meaning proactive and sustainable measures are essential.
“DOC is proud to work alongside Te Roroa to replace end-of-life facilities at Tāne Mahuta which are no longer fit for purpose and currently pose risks to the forest and visitors.
“Upgrading these facilities provides a crucial opportunity to enhance protections for Waipoua from Kauri Dieback and increase visitor safety for approximately 200,000 visitors a year,” he says.
Te Iwi O Te Roroa General Manager, Snow Tāne says: “protecting Tāne during construction works is vital and we are pleased to have a contractor specialising in undertaking works in Kauri forests on board.”
“Our Kauri Ora teams will be assisting throughout construction to monitor controls and protection protocols”.
Future phases of work
Future phases of the Rākau Rangatira project aim to upgrade visitor infrastructure and enhance the visitor experience at Waipoua Forest while prioritising forest health.
“In partnership with Te Roroa, we are exploring ambitious and transformative operating models and regenerative tourism options, designed to restore and enhance Waipoua’s natural environment while ensuring a sustainable future,” says DOC’s Stephen Soole.
“Guided walks and a park-and-ride option are two initiatives being explored. If introduced, they will deepen visitors’ connection to culture and nature, increase public safety, minimize environmental impact, and allow visitors to play an active role in contributing to ongoing conservation.”
“Through the development of improved infrastructure, DOC and Te Roroa hope to provide the opportunity for visitors to experience parts of Waipoua that have not previously been accessible such as some of the wetland areas behind Te Matua Ngahere.”
Tāne Mahuta is expected to re-open with renewed assets for visitors to enjoy from end-November 2024.
Background Information
About Tāne Mahuta
Tāne Mahuta currently attracts approximately 200,000 visitors per year and stands 51.5 meters tall, with a trunk diameter of 4.5 meters. It is estimated to be 1,500 years old.
According to Māori mythology, Tāne is the son of Ranginui the sky father and Papatūānuku the earth mother. Tāne was the child who separated his parents’ embrace and then set about clothing his mother in the forest we see today. All living creatures of the forest are regarded as Tāne’s children.
About Kauri Dieback
Phytophthora agathidicida (PA) is a fungus-type pathogen that damages the tree’s root system, reducing its ability to take water and nutrients from the soil. This is sometimes referred to as kauri disease or kauri dieback.
PA could have devastating effects on New Zealand’s kauri forests. It has been found in Northland, Great Barrier Island, and the Coromandel Peninsula. There is no known cure, but we can help reduce its spread by avoiding any movement of soil around the roots of trees. That means making sure we stick to the tracks and have spotlessly clean footwear and any gear that might touch the ground.
Today we celebrate 10 years of West Coast Marine Reserves with a look at where they are, who looks after them, and what they are helping us discover.
The West Coast has five marine reserves, which represent the different habitat types found on the West Coast. The West Coast has a pretty wild coastline, so these marine reserves are mostly enjoyed by visitors from the shore, where the continuous mountains to sea landscapes give you the feeling you are somewhere special.
The reserves were established after thorough discussions over several years that involved Poutini Ngāi Tahu, local community representatives and several stages of public consultation. By the time the reserves came into being, the local and other public support for them was strong, and that’s been reflected in the way that the ‘no fishing in the reserves’ rule is followed very well.
You would think in a place like the West Coast there would be remote places that nobody accessed, but the consultation process showed all areas on the coast were being accessed to some degree.
The main intent of marine reserves is as areas for scientific study. But they have also been celebrated as places to enjoy the natural environment, and as a kind of insurance against the impacts that people can have on the sea. They are a place where fish and other sea life can grow, sustaining local habitats and breeding stocks. Each of the reserves has quite unique features.
Location of the West Coast’s five marine reserves:
Kahurangi. Photo: Andris Apse
The Kahurangi Marine Reserve reaches along 16 kilometres of coast, alongside the Heaphy Track Great Walk and the Kahurangi National Park. The wide tidal zone of rocks and beaches in this large reserve are great to explore, with expansive mussel beds supporting starfish, octopus and seaweeds. Offshore, the broad continental shelf is home to sealife like fur seals/kekeno, red cod, gurnard and sharks.
Punakaiki. Photo: Andris Apse
The Punakaiki Marine Reserve is centred on the world-famous Pancake Rocks and Blowholes walkway, and the ‘secret treasure’ of the Truman Track coastline. The reserve extends the protection of the Paparoa National Park out into the Tasman Sea, to include rocky reefs where bull kelp swirls in the waves, and open ocean where seabirds like terns/tara, penguins/kororā and Westland petrels/taiko catch their fishy food.
Waiau Glacier Coast. Photo: Andris Apse
Waiau Glacier Coast Marine Reserve reaches 11 km from Kohuamarua Bluff to Omoeroa Bluff. The reserve complements the exceptional glacial landscapes of Westland Tai Poutini National Park to make it a truly ‘Mountains to Ocean’ sequence. Extending about 4km offshore, it is one of the largest marine reserves in mainland New Zealand
Tauparikākā. Photo: Andris Apse
Tauparikākā Marine Reserve is New Zealand’s smallest marine reserve at just 17 hectares, but it importantly protects the ‘watery’ parts of the Ship Creek visitor site. Here you can enjoy walking the beach, watching the Hector’s dolphins, and paddling in the tea-coloured stream mouth.
Hautai. Photo: Andris Apse
The remote Hautai Marine Reserve lies 50 km south of Jackson Bay and covers 8.5 km2. This reserve protects some rocky coastal habitats where crayfish, kina, cod and other marine life can thrive. Further out from the Hautai Reserve, underwater canyons reach ocean depths of more than 3000 metres and add to the rich diversity of this area.
Marine Reserves Ranger Don Neale has worked on the West Coast for DOC for over 35 years, always in a role with something to do with the ocean. His daily job involves monitoring, research, advocacy and making sure people follow the rules put in place to protect these reserves. Here he is with a sample of sea water which is being DNA tested to see what species exist in this particular stretch of coastline as part of a survey of the Kahurangi Marine Reserve coastline.
Photo: Spencer Virgin, University of Canterbury
Baseline monitoring of the marine reserves and nearby areas has been set up in the last few years. Over time this will show how the sea is changing and the difference that the protection is making in those places. Here, two researchers measure the abundance of mussels on a rock platform in an intertidal area in the Kahurangi Marine Reserve.
Protecting these individual reserves is more than a matter of making sure people don’t fish or gather seafood in them. Climate change is a massive threat to the health of marine reserves and the ocean generally. Over the past few summers, the West Coast has had marine heatwaves, raising the temperature of the oceans by an average of 5oC. Through photo analysis, DOC has noticed a worrying trend at a number of West Coast sites of bull kelp die-off, as this photo taken at the Punakaiki Marine Reserve demonstrates. Bull kelp is a large native seaweed that provides habitat for a number of marine species, and the die-off is a highly visible indication that our global carbon emissions are having a huge impact on the natural environment, which we depend on for our health and wellbeing.
Westland’s marine reserves can be seen as ‘a window into the ocean’ for us all. They are protecting some of our special places, and revealing new things that might otherwise pass us by and go unnoticed.
So get down to one of your wonderful marine reserves, celebrate their 10th anniversary, and see what you can find!
The five fully protected marine reserves were established in Westland on 7 September 2014. All sea life is protected within the reserves, so fishing and seafood gathering are not allowed there.
The reserves cover just over one percent of the West Coast’s seas and seven percent of its coastline length, leaving plenty of space for fishing elsewhere in the region.
Don Neale, a DOC West Coast Marine Reserves Ranger who helped establish the reserves, says they were ratified after thorough discussions over several years that involved Poutini Ngāi Tahu, local community representatives and several stages of public consultation.
“By the time the reserves were officially established, the local and other public support for them was strong, and that’s been reflected in the way that the ‘no fishing in the reserves’ rule is very well followed.”
The main intent of marine reserves is to preserve an area for scientific study. However, they have been proven to provide multiple benefits to the environment and people. Marine reserves are celebrated as places to enjoy the natural marine environment, and as a kind of insurance against the negative impacts that people have on the sea. They are a place where fish and other sea life can grow, sustaining local habitats and breeding stocks.
Baseline monitoring of the marine reserves and nearby areas has been set up in the last few years. Over time this will show how the sea is changing and the difference that the protection is making in those places.
Climate change is a massive threat to the health of marine reserves and the ocean generally. Over the past few summers, the West Coast has had marine heatwaves, raising the temperature of the oceans by an average of five degrees celcius.
Through photo analysis, DOC has noticed a worrying trend at a number of West Coast sites of bull kelp die-off, including the Punakaiki Marine Reserve. Bull kelp is a large native seaweed that provides habitat for many marine species and organic matter for coastal food chains. Its die-off is a highly visible indication that our global carbon emissions are having a huge impact on the natural environment, which we depend on for food, economic activity, ‘ecosystem services’ such as the production of oxygen, and our health and wellbeing.
Don says, “Westland’s marine reserves can be seen as ‘a window into the ocean’ for us all. They are protecting some of our special places from direct human activities, and revealing new things that might otherwise go unnoticed. So we encourage everyone to get down to one of your wonderful marine reserves, celebrate their 10th anniversary, and see what you can find!”
The annual Te Wiki Tiaki Ao Tūroa Conservation Week runs from 2-8 September and this year’s theme calls on people to help the environment and species that make New Zealand special.
The Punakaiki event, ‘Conservation Conversations’ will be held in the new Punangairi building which includes the Paparoa National Park Visitor Centre.
Five speakers will present on a variety of topics, including invertebrates of Paparoa, the Paparoa Predator Free Project, local freshwater fish, archaeology and history of the Fox River area, and how to get involved with conservation.
DOC Visitor Centre Manager Máire Hearty says that it’s a great opportunity to learn about the area and conservation work happening on the West Coast.
“People from around the world come here to experience our natural environments; this event is a way to remind us locals what makes this place so special.”
“There’s an opportunity to learn about things you don’t get to see every day – prepare to be surprised by what lives in our backyard!”
Conservation Conversations starts at 12 pm midday on Wednesday 4 September 2024.
Event details: Conservation conversations 12 pm – approx. 1:30 pm Wednesday 4 September 2024 Punangairi building/Paparoa National Park Visitor Centre 4294 Coast Road, Punakaiki
The site is a significant World War II coastal defence heritage site with restored gun emplacements and other heritage military structures, alongside walking and mountain biking tracks. There is also a campsite and Lighthouse Cottage bookable accommodation, which have also reopened.
Awaroa is a significant site for Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke whānui.
More than 100,000 people visited the site annually before parts of the complex were temporarily closed by DOC after asbestos and other historic residual soil contamination (thought to be from historic buildings demolished before DOC took over the site’s management) was discovered in April 2021.
DOC Mahaanui Operations Manager Andy Thompson says it’s fantastic to have Awaroa/Godley Head open to visitors again.
“Alongside the significant heritage and cultural values at the site, Awaroa also offers outstanding sea views and great walking or mountain biking. It’s an awesome day out and we’re thrilled to have the site open to the public again – especially ahead of Conservation Week.”
He says contamination was found in the ground during repairs to a road in 2021, which led to DOC temporarily closing the site as a health precaution. This triggered wider testing which found other areas of residual soil contamination around heritage buildings, which has now been remediated.
“Since 2021, a lot of hard work has gone into detailed planning, funding, and procuring suitable contractors who have carried out the specialist work of remediation. We’re excited for visitors to once again enjoy all that Awaroa/Godley Head has to offer.”
Planning was carried out by Sephira Environmental and ENGEO, with work on the ground from Citycare and Protranz Earthmoving.
The complex project is a finalist for Best Contaminated Site Remediation Project in the Australasian Land and Groundwater Association Awards 2024.
Andy says sadly there was some graffiti and vandalism at the site while it was closed. “We want to thank staff from Landguard who volunteered their time to remove and paint over some of the graffiti. The rest will be painted over when the weather is warmer, thanks to paint supplied through the partnership between DOC and Dulux.”
Visitors should note soil with residual contaminants is capped (buried) on-site, which is an industry-standard remediation method. Visitors must follow the guidelines on site signage, including keeping dogs on leads as all digging is prohibited.
The remediation cost approximately $1.4 million. It was made possible through partial funding from the Ministry for the Environment’s Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund.
Conservation for the critically endangered kākāpō dates back 130 years to 1894, when Richard Henry first moved kākāpō to (then) predator free Resolution Island. Today, DOC’s Kākāpō Recovery Programme combines the efforts of iwi, partners, scientists, rangers, volunteers, and donors to continue to protect and restore this taonga species.
Our purpose is to restore the mauri (life force) of the once plentiful kākāpō. So far, efforts have been rewarded and during nearly 30 years of the programme the population has increased from 51 to the 247 kākāpō alive today. It’s a long game with challenges that can be grouped into three main categories; habitat, genetics, and disease.
Kākāpō Advocacy Ranger, Andie Gentle, looks into the first challenge – habitat, and what it takes to find new sites for the growing kākāpō population.
Te Hauturu-o-Toi/Little Barrier Island | Jake Osborne, DOC
Kākāpō pace
Aotearoa New Zealand’s much adored night parrots come with their own, unhurried pace. Longevity is on their side. The oldest kākāpō known today is at least 51 years old and it is estimated they could live between 60-90 years old. Many kākāpō reach their teens before they start successfully breeding and even then, they only breed once every 2-4 years.
Most of today’s 247 kākāpō live on two Southern predator-free islands which are reaching kākāpō-capacity. With each breeding season, there is an increasing need to find sites to support kākāpō populations into the future. To be suitable, sites need vast native forest, no predators (feral cats, rats and stoats) and the ability to stimulate successful breeding (more on that later).
Kākāpō-pace means each new site trial could take a decade or more to gather the information required. One long-term site trial that has recently been completed was on Te Hauturu-o-Toi/Little Barrier Island.
Kākāpō Lisa on Hauturu in 2018 | Jake Osborne, DOC
Hauturu & kākāpō
There are only two pest-free islands in New Zealand large enough to sustain a population of kākāpō that are certainly beyond the swimming distance of rats and stoats. One of them, Whenua Hou/Codfish Island, is a successful breeding home to a population of nearly 100 kākāpō. The other is Te Hauturu-o-Toi/Little Barrier Island.
Hauturu is a sanctuary 80km north-east of Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland. It was New Zealand’s first nature reserve and is now a refuge for hundreds of rare and endangered plants, birds, and animals.
Te Hauturu-o-Toi/Little Barrier Island | Jake Osborne, DOC
Kākāpō were first translocated to Hauturu in 1982. At the time, there were just 29 known kākāpō and it had become clear that they were being predated by cats on Rakiura/Stewart Island. With the presence of kiore (the Pacific rat) but no feral cats, Hauturu was identified as a safer haven. By the end of 1982, 21 kākāpō had been relocated there. Intensive management and supplementary feeding programmes began seven years later after no breeding had occurred on the island.
Breeding triggers
The only known trigger to stimulate kākāpō breeding today is the mast of the rimu tree. This happens once every 2-4 years on the Southern islands. We can predict a mast in advance by comparing seasonal temperatures year-on-year and counting fruit tips.
To best support the critically endangered kākāpō we supplementary feed them ahead of a breeding season to help them reach top breeding condition. Additional feeding for chick rearing is also required if the mast was big enough to stimulate breeding but didn’t result in enough fruit to sustain chick rearing (which may occur after storms or extreme weather events or if the fruit doesn’t ripen).
Despite the absence of rimu on Hauturu, several breeding attempts were made there in the 1990’s and two chicks were raised with supplementary feeding support. It was the kauri tree that was thought to be the most likely trigger to stimulate kākāpō breeding on the island. Regardless, this was proof that, with support, kākāpō could thrive on Hauturu.
There was just one big problem. The island’s terrain is much more extreme than the Southern islands, making this level of hands-on management logistically challenging.
The rugged terrain of Hauturu, being navigated by DOC rangers and Auckland Zoo team members as they carry out work with kākāpō on the island | DOC.
By 1999 more kākāpō had been discovered on Rakiura and the total population numbered 63. All kākāpō were returned South to help diversify the precious breeding populations that were now active on Whenua Hou and Maud Island. Following the removal of kākāpō, kiore were eradicated from Hauturu and the sanctuary gained pest-free status in 2004.
The trial
With supplementary feeding successful but not feasible on Hauturu, the next step was to learn if kākāpō could breed and raise chicks there without support. In 2012, eight of the total 125 kākāpō at the time were carefully selected by their genetic profiles and breeding history to help us find out. Over the coming years another nine joined the trial.
Seven of this cohort had been on Hauturu before. Notably, all seven returned to their old home ranges on the island within a couple of weeks of arriving back. Two of the returning birds were super-breeders Blades and Flossie, who had each produced the most offspring by a male and female respectively at the time.
Kākāpō Rangers Petrus and Bryony completing a transmitter change and health check on 27-year-old Tiwai on Hauturu, 2022 | DOC
What did we learn?
Unfortunately, the next decade saw limited breeding success on the island. In 2014 Heather was the only female to nest. She only hatched one of three fertile eggs herself and that chick needed support as, by ten days old, it was starving. It was the same poor result in 2016 when Heather and Lisa nested and the only chick to hatch also required support due to lack of food. Lisa nested again in 2021, but her two eggs were infertile.
During the trial period of 12 years, the kauri tree did not produce a heavy crop of seeds as it had in the past. Along with the poor nesting outcomes, this confirmed that while Hauturu is safe for kākāpō, they are unlikely to be productive on the island without supplementary feeding.
Heather’s 2014 chick Mahli pictured while receiving care at Auckland Zoo vet hospital | DOC
Wrapping up the trial
In 2023 it was decided that the kākāpō on Hauturu would be more valuable back on the Southern breeding islands, and the plan is for all to be returned by the end of this year.
It may not be the last time kākāpō live amongst the Hauturu forest, so remnant of primeval New Zealand. Given the long lifespan of kākāpō and the size and pest-free status of Hauturu, the island could play a role in the future security of the population until other safe breeding sites become available.
For now, the island has helped provide valuable data and insights to help manage kākāpō conservation for decades to come.
Left: DOC Ranger Richard Walle. Middle: Jasmine from Auckland Zoo carrying kākāpō before the first transfer off Hauturu, 2023. Right: DOC Ranger Dani completing a transmitter change and health check on Flossie in 2023. All photos by DOC.
It takes a village
DOC’s Kākāpō Recovery team worked closely with iwi (tribe) representatives from Ngāi Tahu and the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust to undertake the trial and the required transfers of the manu between rohe.
Kākāpō are a taonga species to Ngāi Tahu, the principal Māori iwi of southern New Zealand. It is of great significance to iwi when the care and protection of a taonga is transferred. During the Hauturu trial local mana whenua Ngāti Manuhiri took on kaitiaki responsibilities of the manu through the tikanga of whāngai (the concept of fostering).
This trial was undertaken in association with Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund with practical assistance from Auckland Zoo staff and its vet hospital, the New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine. It was also supported by Kākāpō Recovery Programme’s National Partner Meridian Energy and DOC’s National Partner Air New Zealand.
Ngāti Manuhiri and Ngāi Tahu representatives with DOC team members during (left) the first transfer from Hauturu to Fiordland in July 2023, and (right) the second transfer in August 2024. The final cohort of remaining monitored kākāpō on Hauturu will return later this year | DOC.
Moving forward to step back
Two new site trials are underway at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari in Waikato and Coal Island/Te Puka-Hereka in Fiordland, and there are more to come. Like at Hauturu, it will be years before results are known, but it is hoped that more breeding triggers could be discovered along the way.
The last three breeding seasons have been bumper on the Southern islands. The next breeding season is predicted to be 2026 and with more than 80 breeding-aged females, it could be the biggest yet.
Rakiura will be a game changer for kākāpō when it becomes predator free. From there, the goal will be to one day return kākāpō to all their natural ranges throughout New Zealand. Of course, these visions will rely on the success of the country’s predator free movements.
We’ve come a long way since 1894; just imagine Aotearoa after another 130 years of care and protection. Will kākāpō be roaming safe and free among our great-grandchildren?
Anything is possible, even when each day goes at kākāpō-pace.
Kākāpō Lisa on Hauturu in 2020 | Jake Osborne, DOC
Get involved
Together with our Treaty Partner Ngāi Tahu and National Partner Meridian Energy we are grateful for the ongoing commitment from our supporters. There are lots of ways you can help ensure a brighter future for kākāpō.
The annual Te Wiki Tiaki Ao Tūroa Conservation Week runs from 2-8 September 2024, and this year’s theme calls on people to help the environment and species that make New Zealand special.
Rangitaiki Wetland Day will be an opportunity to access conservation advice and resources thanks to Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Fish & Game, and the Department of Conservation.
DOC Senior Community Ranger Jesse Burt says the event will highlight funding opportunities for fencing and native planting, and is aimed at kaitiaki, landowners, conservationists and nature lovers.
“We’ll be encouraging the restoration of marginal land and riparian strips – these are areas that have significant habitat value for species such as matuku hūrepo (Australasian bittern).
“With many of our species threatened or at risk of extinction, this event will help landowners take action for nature.”
Matuku hurepō are globally endangered, with fewer than 1,000 left. The birds are known for their camouflaged plumage and the distinctive booming call of the males, most heard from August to December. Loss of their wetland habitat is a key factor in their decline.
Jesse says wetland restoration is part of ensuring future generations inherit a world rich in biodiversity.
“The invitation is open to anyone interested in improving water quality, creating wildlife habitats, and enhancing wetland ecosystems – Rangitaiki Wetland Day is an opportunity to gain the knowledge and support you need.”
Participants will receive a native wetland plant on arrival, and one attendee will win $500 worth of native trees from Coastland Nursery.
Event details: Rangitaiki Wetland Day Saturday 7 September 10 am-12 pm Awakaponga Hall To attend, RSVP to fcarr@doc.govt.nz.
Background information
Conservation Week runs from 2-8 September 2024 with the theme ‘Take action for nature’.
DOC is listing Conservation Week events and outlining actions you can take to help nature on its website, check back regularly as more info is added.
Tara iti is New Zealand’s rarest breeding bird with fewer than 35 adult birds remaining.
“We are excited to embark on these critical research projects,” says Ilse Corkery, DOC Technical Advisor.
“The research will concentrate on identifying optimal captive-rearing methods, mitigating climate change impacts, and enhancing genetic health. It is expected to provide valuable insights to improve management strategies and ultimately boost tara iti population size and resilience.”
The objective of the research is to address high-priority knowledge gaps through targeted and collaborative research and communicate findings to DOC decision-makers, whānau, hapū and iwi, researchers, community groups, and the wider public.
Starting in October 2024, a PhD student, supported by the Shorebirds Trust, will research optimal captive-rearing methods for tara iti. A master’s project will focus on improving nest site protection strategies.
In December 2024, another master’s student will study the behaviour and habitat use of captive-reared versus wild tara iti. The following year in March, a master’s student will explore better predator control measures. Other ongoing projects include a study on hatching failure and an examination of nesting site vulnerability to sea level rise.
“We are thrilled to see such a diverse range of research initiatives being launched. Each project has the potential to significantly enhance our conservation strategies for tara iti,” says Ilse.
“Our commitment to protecting tara iti is year-round, ensuring the species’ safety and growth throughout the year.”
The 2023/2024 tara iti breeding season was a success, with an amazing 22 eggs laid and 13 chicks surviving to fledging. This success highlights the importance of continued and enhanced conservation efforts.
“Seeing such a significant increase in fledging rates is incredibly encouraging and underscores the importance of our ongoing work,” says Ilse.
The new research initiatives, combined with ongoing conservation efforts and recent successes, represent a strategic effort to secure the future of tara iti. By addressing critical knowledge gaps, we aim to develop effective strategies to ensure the survival and growth of New Zealand’s rarest endemic bird.
Once widespread, tara iti now breeds at only four main nesting sites north of Auckland: Papakānui Spit, Pākiri Beach, Waipū and Mangawhai sandspits. DOC works closely with partners including Patuharakeke, Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara, Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust, Auckland Zoo, The Shorebirds Trust, the NZ Fairy Tern Charitable Trust, About Tern, Birds NZ, Tara Iti Golf Club, the Waipū Trapping Group, University of Auckland and University of Canterbury.
Generous support for the tara iti season has been provided by the Shorebirds Trust, Endangered Species Foundation, Pākiri Beach Holiday Park, Tara Iti Golf Club, Auckland Council, Manāki Whitebait, Tongariro National Trout Centre, and New Zealand King Salmon.
Background information
The Tara Iti Research Advisory Group is recently formed and dedicated to the conservation of the New Zealand fairy tern. Their mission is to conduct and support research that informs effective conservation management practices, ensuring the survival and resilience of this critically endangered species. The group includes experts in tara iti biology and world-renowned experts in shorebird ecology, behaviour and genetics. This is part of a strategic effort to build a holistic and integrated research programme with strong links to DOC staff on the ground to ensure rapid up take of new management techniques and approaches.
