The following conservation projects have received funding from the BirdLife International Community Conservation Fund. Support from the fund has enabled valuable conservation work to be carried out in communities around New Zealand and the Pacific.
Funding Grants for 2010
Forest & Bird Kaikoura Branch, $17,500 Little Blue Penguin Project.
A small population of little penguins breed at South Bay, Kaikoura. In the last two years there has been an increase in breeding pairs which coincides with changes to set net regulations in 2008. There are current discussions to have these regulations modified with the potential to recommend reserves and change areas with set net bans. This project aims to use GPS loggers fitted to penguins to determine where little penguins feed and spend their time at sea. This will provide factual information for submissions with respect to any proposals to modify current regulations.
Friends of Cobb received $8,5000, Pest Control Project
This environmental group recieved funds for their proposal to create a 350ha area of intensive control - a mainland island within the 3000ha area already networked with stoat traps. The island will target rat and possum numbers to hold them at low levels through the breeding season of susceptible birds. The road-end location of the sanctuary in the popular Cobb Valley will result in high amenity values. Public donations will also be sought to cover annual running costs of the proposal
Mohua Charitable Trust, $6,000, Mohua Translocation
This money will help fund a project to translocate Mohua from Chalky Island to the Eglington Valley to boost the small resident population. DoC does not have the funds for this project and it will not occur without private funding.
South Island Kokako Trust, $1,285 to protect remnant South Island Kokako (SIK)
This money will help protect the population in the Angus Burn catchment, Waitutu forest, Fiordland, by reducing predators of SIK nests to a low enough level to allow successful breeding . A proposed pre-fed arial1080 drop (DOC) for the Waitutu forest in early spring 2010 should mean possums and stoats will be at very low levels.. To date SIK have received no targeted conservation management. That is about to change.
University of Auckland, $20,000, Fairy Tern Project
This project will look at the Mangawhai Harbour as a feeding ground for breeding fairy terns and the prey taken from there. The project will also look at non-breeding fairy tern. The New Zealand fairy tern Sterna nereis davisae is listed as critically endangered and with only eight remaining breeding pairs is considered New Zealand’s rarest indigenous breeding. Under high conservation efforts, New Zealand fairy tern population numbers have been slowly building up since the late 1980s, but recruitment of sub-adults into the breeding population has remained low.
BirdLife Pacific Secretariat (Fiji), $25,000, Threatened Seabird Project
This money will go towards developing tools to monitor threatened seabird species in Micronesia. The project aims to build local capacity and raise awareness of species within Nauru and the Marshall Islands.
Société d'Ornithologie de Polynésie – ‘Manu’ $27,000, Monarch Butterfly Project in French Polynesia
Funding Grants for 2009
2009 The New Zealand Seabird Colony Database: $7,600
The money granted towards this project will help to complete a project supported by The Birdlife International Community Conservation Fund in the 2008 round. The database will provide scientists with a up to date seabird database.
2009 Chatham Island Taiko Trust Chatham Island Tomtit Transfer: $15,000
This projects aim is to transfer tomtit from South East/ Rangitira Island to the Awatotara Conservation Covenant to re-establish tomtit on Main Chatham. Tomtit is in a group of forest birds (including Chatham Island pigeon, red crowned parakeet, warbler, bellbird and tui) that survived the initial rapid de-forestation and imported predatory mammals when the Chatham’s were colonised by Europeans in the early 1800’s
2009 Ririwha Trust Recovery of Pycroft's Petrel pterodroma longirostris pycrofti on Ririwhat (Stephenson) Island, New Zealand: $28,000
2009 Societe D'Ornithologie De Polynesie Saving the Monarchs of French Polynesia: $25,066
The first objective of this second project is to continue the first one in 2010 and more specially the control of rats throughout the year on the Fatu Hiva Monarch’s territories.
The second objective is to increase our knowledge of the invasive mammals control and its different techniques to improve the performance of the rat control for the two species of Pomarea.
2009 Societe Caledonienne d'ornithologie Crow Honeyeater Recovery Project: 15, 570
This project proposes to 1) appoint a Species Guardian to co-ordinate and report on conservation of the Crow Honeyeater, 2) to undertake essential survey and basic research for conservation planning 3) write and publish a Species Action Plan and raise awareness on the plight of the Crow Honeyeater, 4) improve awareness by undertaking a campaign aimed at the local communities surrounding the IBA “Massifs du Grand Sud”, the general public and New Caledonian authorities and decision makers..
2009 BirdLife International Pacific Partnership Secretariat Finders - Savers: searches for the critical pohnpei starling and makira moorhen: $21, 815
This project will support searches for two high priority “lost” species, the Pohnpei Mountain Starling Aplonis pelzelni and Makira Moorhen Gallinula silvestris. Both are considered priorities because there is a thought to be a medium-to-high probability of rediscovery and good potential for follow-up conservation actions.
2009 NatureFiji-MareqetiViti (Fiji Nature Conservation Trust) Fiji Petrel Conservation: 14,449
Management: Introducing Feral Pig Control to the Gau Island Community
2009 The Arthur’s Pass Community Roroa Recover Project: 25,000
This project aims to protect Great Spotted Kiwi/Roroa (GSK) in their natural habitat to ensure the continued presence of a healthy population of kiwi in the Bealey Valley, and to benefit the wider ecosystem
Funded Grants for 2007
Ark in the Park - $35,000
Funding to transfer kokako from Bay of Plenty and Pureora Forest to the Waitakere Ranges, where kokako have been locally extinct since 1900. Ark in the Park (a joint project between Forets & Bird and Auckland Regional Council) has predator control over more than 1000 hectares, and plans to extend this by another 2000ha in 2008-09.
Chatham Island Taiko Trust - $35,510
To transfer Chatham pigeon to Pitt Island and Chatham tui to Chatham Island in a project involving the trust and the Chatham Island and Pitt Island communities. Recovery of forest areas has provided habitat for new populations of these critically endangered species.
Kaharoa Kokako Trust - $4000
For the Kokako Nest-egg Fund to conduct predator control at private and Department of Conservation forest at Kaharoa, near Rotorua. This area is now producing surplus birds for transfer to other sites, including Ark in the Park.
Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust - $10,000
For predator control to protect North Island brown kiwi in the Bay of Plenty. The trust’s work has been vital in allowing kiwi numbers to increase at Otanewainuku, following many decades of decline.
BirdLife Affiliate in Fiji - $20,000
For the BirdLife Affiliate in Fiji to launch a community conservation project to protect Fiji petrels through training and protection of a new collared petrel colony, with involvement of the local community on Gau Island.
BirdLife Affiliate in the Cook Islands - $20,000
For the BirdLife Affiliate in the Cook Islands, Taporoporo’anga Ipukarea Society, to conduct community-based pest control to protect the Rarotonga monarch (kakerori).
Funded Grants for 2008
Friends of Mana Island - $11,500
For translocation of New Zealand shore plover to Mana Island Scientific Reserve to establish of a breeding population on the island. Birds will be transferred over five years from the captive flock at Pukaha/Mt Bruce and the Isaac Wildlife Trust.
Kaipara Forest & Bird - $9000
For Atuanui Restoration Project to establish a mainland restoration project at the Atuanui Scenic Reserve. The fund will enable control of goats, rats and mice on top of existing possum and stoat control to allow recovery of forest health.
Southland Forest & Bird - $12,600
For Te Rere yellow-eyed penguin restoration project to manage and revegetate the yellow-eyed penguin reserve restoration project in the Caitlins.
Kerry Jane Wilson - $20,000
For development of a New Zealand Seabird Colony Database as part of the establishment of Marine Important Bird Areas for New Zealand seabird colonies.
Société Calédonienne D’ornithologie (SCO) - $22,960
For community-based monitoring of globally threatened birds in two Important Bird Areas in the mountains of New Caledonia, and to develop a pilot monitoring scheme that will provide information on declines of endangered species to support conservation action.
Société d’Ornithologie de Polynésie – Manu - $40,000
For conservation of the critically endangered Fatu Hiva monarch in Marquesas Island, French Polynesia, with predator control in six valleys and improved monitoring, and establishing a rat-free island to ensure population survival.
