This planting season has seen a hive of industry with many volunteers planting nearly 2,000 native plants so far. All plants have been sourced locally to ensure their genetic integrity although some faster growing food source trees for kaka have been planted in discrete areas.

Great news is that our proposal for releasing our captive bred kaka into the wider sanctuary has been approved. We will release the four juvenile kaka currently housed in aviaries in the sanctuary in the spring. Kaka feeding platforms have been built and they will soon be put into the aviaries for familiarisation of the kaka. Each bird will be fitted with a transmitter so that we can find out where they go and if they successfully breed. If they settle outside the sanctuary we’ll need to undertake predator control.

Our proposal for an injured lizard rehabilitation project has also been approved and a volunteer has kindly built their houses. It is hoped that these lizards will be released into the sanctuary in the future. We’re also creating ideal lizard habitat with rocks and appropriate plantings.

We have had no further detection of mouse prints in tracking tunnels since the trapping a couple of months ago but we do have a problem with hares in some areas. Although hares are not predators they eat young seedlings that have been carefully planted.

Another welcome addition to our education programme is Davina Hunt who will be employed on contract, thanks to the WWF Education Fund, to coordinate the programme. Davina has a wealth of experience in the school curriculum, the Enviroschools programme and in hands on learning.

Our Resource Consent application was successful and there is now a 15 working day period for appeals by objectors. Our Building Consent application result is imminent.

Our fundraising focus is still the Visitor and Education Centre so that when the Consents are approved we can start building these facilities. Meanwhile work on tracks is progressing with great progress being made on the Forest & Bird funded Rimu track and work on the Valley track begun by the Rotary Club of Dunedin.

Our volunteer input continues to grow with the value estimated at more than $200,000 per year. An event was held recently to celebrate this valuable contribution which is indicative of the incredible community support of this wonderful project.

Chris Baillie
General Manager