The Routeburn Track is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most spectacular Great Walks. But for many years, its forests were eerily quiet – our native birds driven out by introduced predators.
That’s changing – and you can help keep the momentum going.
Thanks to the vision of longtime Department of Conservation Ranger Evan Smith, who spent over 20 summers at Lake Mackenzie Hut, and the support of trampers, corporate donors, and the Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust, a predator control network is now in place along the Routeburn Track.
The results are showing. Longtime observers, like Evan, have noticed that birdsong is slowly returning. Weka, absent for decades, have recently returned to the area. But there’s still more to do to expand and maintain the trap network and support the recovery of threatened species.
