A major step change in conservation

The south west corner of Aotearoa New Zealand, Te Wahi Pounamu is one of the most special places on earth.  With 1.2m hectares of virgin rainforest, fourteen fiords puncturing over 200kms of coastline and sheer granite mountains rising from the sea to over 2700m, it is an increasingly fragile home to a unique range of indigenous species.  For some of our most treasured species like Kea, Fiordland is rapidly becoming their last remaining refuge.

Even in this remote place, eco-systems are deteriorating at a worrying and rapid rate.  Regular hikers of the mountain valleys have noticed significant change over the years but few people realise the danger that our most treasured wilderness is in. There is a pressing need to stop the disappearance of ecosystems here, and major work carried out to turn it around into a thriving wild landscape once again.

Turning around the loss and restoring Fiordland as a biodiverse wilderness, full of thriving indigenous creatures and plants, will enable it to be a stronghold for species like kea, whio, weka, the New Zealand falcon karearea, kiwi tokoeka and kaka, as well as a range of marine, invertebrate and flora species.

Project Fiordland is a multi-faceted project, comprehensively bringing to life conservation and biodiversity, including:

• Wild species recovery of endangered flora and fauna
• Targeted ecosystem building from wetlands to alpine zones
• Strategic pest control to topple our biggest threats to native wildlife
• Cultural and traditional skills and knowledge sharing
• Opportunities to connect with and share insight of this ancient nature powerhouse

The project also builds on and brings together critical work that is being done on the ground by the Department of Conservation, iwi, conservation organisations, businesses and individuals, co-ordinates effort, and galvanises the new action and development that is necessary for large scale impact.

There is no time for complacency in Fiordland; the time to act is now.  We need to turnaround the decline, enable species to thrive, and build a legacy that will protect one of the most extraordinary places on earth and the wild things that live there for generations to come.

If you would like to contribute to the project as a whole or in part we would love to hear from you.  It will take people like you to make this extraordinary work possible.

To support or find out more, click on donate or contact us.

The Species in the Wild Project supports both the species and its habitat; the goal is to go beyond survival and to establish sustainable populations in the wild.

It is an ambitious, multi-layered project including:

• Creating flourishing biodiverse habitats
• Having prolific and genetically diverse breeding programmes
• Building conducive transitional wild-like reserves such as large scale aviaries and reserves
• Successfully transferring species from reserves into the wild
• Long-term monitoring and analysis and field support to ensure a species is flourishing in its new wild habitat

Every step of the way is important when rescuing a wild species and enabling them to flourish again in their natural habitat.  The breeding programmes are incredibly sophisticated, balancing the care and survival of each and every bird, whilst preserving its wildness to ensure it will have the best chance of survival in its natural habitat.

The identification and preparation of wild spaces takes determination and commitment over the long term and includes research of ecosystems, species monitoring, pest control and often native flora and fauna rebuilding.  From the underground networks and waterways, to the plants and trees, to the invertebrates and the birds in the sky, these wild spaces need to work from a full ecosystem point of view.

Building on past learning and successes with species such as the takahē, the orange fronted parakeet | kākāriki karaka and with a range of wild habitats, there are multiple ways for individuals and businesses to engage in these projects and support them.

If you would like to support or champion our species in the wild please don’t hesitate to give via our donate button or get in contact.  We welcome your support.