Te Korowai o Waiheke
Making Waiheke Island the world’s first predator-free urban island.
Imagine Waiheke island being a haven for unique and ancient species of birds, lizards,
insects and plants, a place of exceptional beauty for both current and future generations!
Te Korowai o Waiheke is a charitable trust established by the local community with the aim
of restoring our island song together. The first stage of the Te Korowai o Waiheke project is
mustelid (stoats, weasels and ferrets) eradication island-wide, followed by a rat eradication
pilot.
The Waiheke community agreed to work together when they formed the Waiheke Collective, and collaboratively create a healthy and thriving Waiheke natural environment. Waiheke Island does not have possums, so stoats and rats are the main predators attacking our native birds. The Waiheke Collective applied for funding from Predator Free 2050 Ltd and Waiheke was fortunate to be chosen as one of the first five PF2050 projects in New Zealand. Auckland Council and Foundation North are the other two major funders of Te Korowai o Waiheke.
Waiheke island is surrounded by predator free islands in Tikapa Moana – the Hauraki Gulf, so has the opportunity to become a haven for native birds and wildlife. There are already over one hundred predator free islands in New Zealand, and 44 in the Hauraki Gulf. Nature has an incredible ability to repair itself – when a place is freed from predators, native wildlife can truly flourish.
Once Waiheke Island is predator free, sea and land birds will have the opportunity to migrate from other predator free islands. Tikapa Moana is often referred to as a seabird “super-highway”. The small populations of oi (grey faced petrel) along with seabird breeding colonies on a number of offshore islands around Waiheke, are indicators of Waiheke’s potential as a home for seabirds.
We are grateful for the support of our partners in this project:
