Branch Activities

The Eastern Bay of Plenty branch undertakes many activities to help restore the surrounding environment back to its natural ecological state. 

The NZ Dotterel / Creative Commons The NZ Dotterel, Creative Commons

Monitoring the endangered NZ dotterel: three branch members are counting pairs and monitoring the dotterel’s breeding in the region. The NZ dotterel is an endangered species that inhabits the beaches in the northern coast of the North Island. In the  last 2004 population survey 1700 birds were counted. Once widespread, the NZ dotterel’s numbers have curtailed due to predation by introduced mammals, habitat loss and disturbance during breeding. The dotterel breeding season takes place from September through to March, coinciding with the sudden increase of holidaymakers and tourists onto these beaches.  The branch helps with an Environmental Bay of Plenty public awareness campaign by handing out flyers to beach-users in the western Whakatane district.

 

  • Oil spill: due to the oil spill from the container ship Rena, which crashed into a reef off Tauranga on October 5th 2011, branch members have been helping the Department of Conservation in the capture and removal of dotterels between Otamarakau and Matata to protect them from oil contamination.
     
  • The establishment of a Forest and Bird Whakatane Harbour Care group, aimed at managing the wetland environment on the east side of the Whakatane river: this group has been busy doing bird and weed surveys in consultation with councils, DoC and iwi. A recent survey has shown that endangered NZ dotterel, fernbird, banded rail, hawks and grey ducks lived along these banks. Pest and weed control are already being carried out as well as maintenance of a walkway along the Apanui Salt Marsh. Ground-level native plants are growing well after the manually removal of a number of climbing weeds. The group also aims to produce educational material on wetlands in association with local schools and to provide visitors with information about the local wildlife.
     
  • The Waiewe Stream restoration: crack willows have crowded out the native species lining this stream, so members have been busy removing these dense stands by using two weedbusting tools: poisons and chainsaws. Follow up planting is planned for the Waiewe reserve, but there is still a large amount of willows to be cut down before replanting can be appropriately conducted.
     
  • Braemar wetland: about a dozen members helped with the restoration planting at the Braemar wetland, an area of about 30 acres.
     
  • School Science Fair: the branch sponsors a yearly award in the School Science Fair for the best wetlands entry, which is open for intermediate and high school students.  The winning project this year was from a nine-year old girl, about ways to keep the wetlands water clean.
     
  • Native plant sale: native plants grown especially for the Eastern Bay of Plenty district are being sold to help raise money and encourage the planting of natives.
     
  • Bird rescue: the Eastern Bay of Plenty branch takes care of sick and injured birds. People who find injured or sick birds in the Whakatane area and surrounding suburbs. If you could like to find out about this you can contact Leishah Jarrett, Haide Dutoit or Heidi Rosewarne on 027 209 0567; volunteers are welcome.