World-class Kiwi conservation projects named
15 Apr 2009
Eight New Zealand conservation projects have been named among the best ecological projects in Australasia after an 18-month search by an international panel of ecologists.
The panel set up by the journal of the Ecological Society of Australia - Ecological Management & Restoration - and the Society for Ecological Restoration International (SERI) has named 25 top ecological restoration projects in Australia and New Zealand.
The New Zealand projects named include Maungatautari ecological island in the Waikato, Wellington's Zealandia - Karori sanctuary, and the island sanctuary at Tiritiri Matangi on the Auckland coast.
Impressive result
Professor Bruce Clarkson of Waikato University, New Zealand's representative on the selection panel, said the result was impressive given the relatively small size of the country.
New Zealand had made world-class advances in ecological restoration, particularly pest control and predator-proof fences, Professor Clarkson said.
"The idea [of the list] was to spread the word about some of the very high-quality work going on in Australia and New Zealand," he said.
DOC and community projects
The top projects were a mixture of public projects managed by the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC), and community projects supported by volunteer groups.
New Zealand's top conservation projects as named in the top 25 list:
- Bushy Park Sanctuary - Wanganui
- Fiordland Islands restoration - Fiordland coast
- Mana Island scientific reserve - Kapiti coast
- Maungatautari ecological island - Waikato
- Rotoiti nature recovery project
- Nelson
- Te Urewera mainland island - central North Island
- Tiritiri Matangi island
- Auckland
- Zealandia-Karori sanctuary - Wellington.
International recognition
The host for the 'top 25 search' was the Global Restoration Network - an online hub set up by the Society for Ecological Restoration International (SERI) to provide information on ecological restoration.
The project is part of preparations for SERI's international conference to be held in Perth in August 2009, the first time the international conference will be held in the southern hemisphere.
More information:
Maungatautari forest lives again
Zealandia - the Kaorori Sanctuary experience
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