Waiheke Island is home to just over 8000 permanent residents and many more thousand pests.
And now it’s taking the first steps to becoming the world’s first predator-free urban island.
An initiative launched today (Sunday 16 September) will see $10.9 million invested in a five to seven-year programme to eradicate predators from the island.
Te Korowai o Waiheke: Towards Predator-Free Waiheke has brought together community groups, local, and central government to secure major funding from Auckland Council including ($2.85 million from the natural environment targeted fund), Predator Free 2050 Limited ($2.6 million) and Foundation North ($875,000). Other funds, current services and in-kind support is coming from community groups, existing DOC and Auckland Council programmes and Waiheke landowners.
First in its sight, stoats, followed by rats across 25 per cent of the island in 2020 with a long-term plan to expand the programme island-wide.
Mayor Phil Goff says Auckland Council is committed to restoring our native bush and protecting our native birds from extinction. “We have made fantastic progress in replanting our Gulf Islands with native trees and growing our endangered bird numbers."
"Our ambition now is to make our first urban island, Waiheke, predator free and restore the bird life that once populated the island."
"Because of Aucklanders’ commitment to a targeted rate, we will be investing in predator eradication on Waiheke Island. This will be a gift from our generation to our children and grandchildren,” he said.
Ridding the island of predators will benefit neighbouring islands by reducing incursions and contribute to the growing wildlife corridor between the islands and the mainland
Predator Free champion and Waiheke landowner Sir Rob Fenwick, who has been undertaking pest control on his own land for many years, says, “Waiheke will become an even greater taonga once it is the world’s first populated, urban island to be predator free. Due to the community’s ongoing efforts, northern kākā have recently returned and there have been unofficial sightings of kakariki.”
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage: “The Waiheke project is a wonderful example of how agencies and the community are working together to reduce predators. We will soon see the return of native birds from neighbouring predator-free islands such as Motuihe, Motutapu and Rangitoto.”
The aim for Te Korowai o Waiheke as kaitiaki is to bring together the resources and skills islanders have to protect the island for future generations.
