Seabird restoration scheme a winner

Wednesday, 15 May 2019

Birds be here, there and everywhere. We're even meant to be in a 'Battle' for them.

The public could be forgiven for turning off yet another avian-saving initiative, but one new joint venture scheme that is being rolled out this week could make a big local and even international difference.

Reinstating nesting and burrowing seabird colonies back to any part of mainland New Zealand is always going to be ambitious, even though it's well proven to be possible. The loss of our seabirds has been big. Before the first human arrivals turned up, this country had something like five billion seabirds, all daily importing their marine nutrients back to fertilise the luxuriant forests which they nested amongst. It's become critical to re-establish colonies back on mainland New Zealand.

Back in 2017, while flying back from Auckland, Peter Butler of Collingwood's online retailer HealthPost looked at the long curve of Farewell Spit bordered by the Tasman Sea on one side and Golden Bay on the other and thought it would make an ideal predator free nature sanctuary. He explains; 'HealthPost has been sponsoring environmental projects for years, but here was one right on our doorstep that was crying out to get done.'

He formed Farewell Wharariki HealthPost Nature Trust and in partnership with DOC and local iwi Manawhenua ki Mohua developed a shared vision to enhance biodiversity in the whole Farewell Spit to Wharariki area as well as preserving threatened species already there. It's not only the obvious wildlife either. Just a few decades ago, katipo spiders were once prevalent under driftwood in the upper beach zone of Wharariki, now it's near impossible to locate one.

In particular, the burnt off 'badlands' of the Pillar Point area which connects the Spit to Wharariki has long been regarded as a near complete deadzone. And no wonder, the first checking of 80 double-traps put in by the Trust (between the base of the Wharariki Beach and Pillar Point) netted 32 stoats.

Plantings by HealthPost staff along Wharariki Stream are already being commented on by visitors, but it may well be the birds that people will ultimately notice. It's intended that a 200m-long stainless steel predator proof fence costing around $600 per metre will be built across the neck of the cliff-rimmed headland at Cape Farewell to isolate a 2.5 hectare sanctuary which would be big enough to accommodate several seabird species.

It's an ideal site, the prominent headland position with gentle sloping aspect along the top will be ideal for birds to take-off into prevailing winds, and the soil here is suited to creating nesting burrows. Apart from being the northern most point of the South Island and Cook's departure point from New Zealand, this Cape area (Onetahua) has strong spiritual significance to Maori. Pillar Point was also the site of a top secret radar base during WWII.

It's envisaged the first two species to be introduced will be diving petrels and fluttering shearwaters. This plan still requires preparation and approval (by DOC) of a translocation outline to be followed by detailed proposals for each species. 

Return times for diving petrels once established can be relatively quick – one year post fledgling, with chick sources potentially coming from Ngurua Island and also offshore d'Urville Island, both of which could be collected in November/December.

Fluttering shearwaters are already found off the Puponga coastline and in Cook Strait. Chicks could come from Long island in Queen Charlotte Sound. Construction of artificial burrows for the translocated chicks of both species needs to take place in the winter/spring prior to their introduction over successive years of 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Chick handling and feeding for the first month or more after translocation requires specialist handling, but the Trust plans to establish and support a group of committed local volunteers who can be trained to assist and gradually assume greater responsibilities over time.

It is envisaged the sanctuary will become the haven for many species that can then overflow into the wider 12,000 hectare restoration project where bittern, banded rail and fernbird already inhabit. It could also be the forerunner to introduction other rare and endangered species like pateke, tieke and kiwi, even the Nelson green gecko.

The current Clifftop Walk (2.5 to 3 hours) between the Spit and Wharariki will go past the sanctuary, but not through it, and include viewing points along the way. There is a potential for tours, particularly from dusk onwards when birds return from feeding and sea and other species come alive.

Described by some as a 'Renaissance man' Butler has helped develop several companies in the natural products area, written several books and even made a documentary film. His family-owned HealthPost has donated over $1 million to some 80 charitable projects including the building of a medical clinic in Zambia. But with $100,000 a year committed for the next five years, this is their biggest single project yet.

Revegetation is another goal of HealthPost Nature Trust. In a couple of weeks dozens of HealthPost staff will drop phones and tape guns to plant another 1000 trees along Wharariki Stream hillsides. The ambition is to recreate an ecosystem corridor all the way from the forested hinterland through an enhanced Wharariki wetland then down Wharariki Stream to the sea.

The project has also picked up some great supporters. Pic's general manager Stu Macintosh is a Trustee along with renowned photographer Craig Potton. Its patron is RNZ's Kim Hill.

Says Kim; 'We've had a place in Puponga for 17 years, and have delighted in the special character of Farewell Spit/Onetahua and the surrounding area, including the spectacular Wharariki Beach and Kahurangi National Park.

'As interest grows in the concept of 'mainland islands' it seems obvious that we should establish something of the kind here: the land-forms invite it, and the visitors who make the effort to travel to this relatively far-flung spot of the upper west of the South Island would find the journey even more rewarding.

'I'm so pleased Peter Butler has had the vision to set up the Trust, and can't wait to see it make a difference.'

There's little doubt Wharariki will only get more popular. On weekends, it's estimated up to 500 vehicles a day make their way up the unsealed road from Puponga.

Exactly how many people that translates to is anyone's guess, but the 4km of toilet paper being used over some long weekends in the toilets at the carpark may be the best indicator of just how popular this place is becoming.