News

Kākā making themselves at home

Two Kākā were seen in Thomson’s Bush, happily searching for invertebrates by pulling apart pieces of wood. This is the second time Kākā have been photorahed here recently. One or two together are also regularly being seen in Myross Bush and parts of Otatara. They are very likely the same birds. In all cases this is exciting news and indicates some potential for the locations to be providing good foraging for them. The main reason Kākā spread out from their key home territories, is reduced food availability there. We are aware that fruiting by most tree and plant species was very low last autumn and this may be a factor.

Please do not put out food for the Kākā: far better is for you to plant suitable native trees and bushes to provide fruit in the future, keep cats indoors (at all times) and set up some pest animal control traps. There are many groups on this website who can provide advice and offer opportunities for you to help with this in a local reserve. Friends of Thomsons Bush meet every Wednesday 9.55am in the car park. Myross Bush are now setting up a ‘pest buster’ group to better protect their area. Otatara has a very active pest busters group and planting activities. (Look for contacts on the SERN site).

Posted on: Wednesday, 8 October 2025

Funding Opportunity: Meridian Energy Power Up Community Fund

If you live in a community near one of Meridian’s generation assets (White Hill – Mossburn, Dipton, Lumsden or Manapouri – Te Anau, Manapōuri, Clifden and Tuatapere) then you can apply to their Power Up Community Fund. Your application must meet the Power Up Community Fund objectives and selection criteria, with one of the fund’s key objectives being to promote environmental awareness and programmes that sustain and improve the quality of the environment in the community.

The next funding round for Power Up White Hill and the Manapōuri Community Fund is open now, and applications need to be submitted by 19 October. Click here for more details.

Looking for funding but don’t live near their generation assets? Meridian’s Decarbonisation Fund is available nationwide for projects that reduce carbon emissions. Click here for more details.

Posted on: Monday, 1 September 2025

Update on Mid Dome Wilding Pines

Thanks to Richard Bowman for an update on the Mid Dome Wilding Pine removal (see attached here). As he explains, great progress was made over the last few years with Jobs for Nature funding, however with that gone the Trust is looking for funds to complete the work on Pinus contorta and P mugo that was reaching it’s final stages. Sadly there’s a new wilding appeared with the spread of douglas fir, an issue that ES staff recently outlined to the ES councillors. This is a very real threat in the future, both economically and environmentally, and so another battle begins.

As the Mid Dome Wilding Tree Trust hopes to achieve their goal of removing P contorta from Mid Dome and environs a new problem is emerging - douglas fir.

Posted on: Tuesday, 26 August 2025

MA project on eco-sourcing seeking feedback

Sharing on behalf of Kate Bonné, a Master’s student at the University of Otago:

If you’re at all involved in sourcing seed, purchasing seedlings, growing native plants, or making decisions about restoration planting, your help in filling out this survey would be greatly appreciated: https://redcap.otago.ac.nz/surveys/?s=78FDMY4EJTCRDYTW

This survey was developed collaboratively with a range of stakeholders and Te Tiriti partners as part of a Master’s thesis project (Department of Botany, University of Otago).

If you have any questions about the project, please contact [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]

Posted on: Tuesday, 3 June 2025

Going for gold!

The Waikawa Catchment Group is very passionate about their local river and have undertaken a range of projects recently to protect and enhance the special local values. Erosion mitigation work is being undertaken as part of the Integrated Catchment Management Plan (a living, aspirational document prepared by the wider catchment community along with stakeholders like the Waikawa Catchment Group). Analysis to understand erosion risk and mitigation options was carried out by Land and Water Science and 7 case-study projects are currently being completed which aim to mitigate erosion in the catchment. This work is funded by the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) and supported by Environment Southland.

One project site is at the old ‘Dog Dosing Strip’ alongside Manse Road, a streatch of river not too far from Mangai Piri | Niagara Falls. Planting was undertaken along a portion of the stream on 5 May to help link remnants of kōwhai-ribbonwood forest, which is an originally rare ecosystem in the area and much reduced today. There a lot of potential to restore this catchment and a lot of eagerness in the community to stuck in.