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Archives For 30/11/1999

Partnership to save Matai Bay Hut

Department of Conservation —  03/07/2014

By Paul O’Fagan, Inspector based in Wairau.

What happens when you get a passionate group of like-minded locals together? Well, if you’re the Tennyson Inlet Boat Club, you put talk into action and give an old hut a new lease of life.

Club members standing by the Matai Bay Hut sign.

Club stalwarts Peter and Doug with the new sign (note the club’s pirate flag)

The Tennyson Inlet Boat Club recently negotiated with DOC to upgrade Matai Bay Hut. The upgrade was managed and funded by them.

Matai Bay Hut is located only metres from the water’s edge in Marlborough’s stunning Pelorus Sound, and can only be reached by boat.

Builders finishing the deck around the hut/

Tennyson Inlet Boat Club (Callister Builders) finishing the deck

Flood tides had been causing problems for the hut. Luckily, the Tennyson Inlet Boat Club are an enthusiastic, resourceful and practical group—with many seasoned tradesmen in their ranks, including the Callister family who managed the hut renovation—and they hatched a plan to beat the flood tides.

The club got sponsorship for some materials, and got stuck in. After raising the hut 500 millimetres, onto new piles, they then built a massive timber deck and boardwalk around the hut.

Tennyson Inlet Boat Club members outside the Matai Bay Hut.

Tennyson Inlet Boat Club members outside the Matai Bay Hut

Local Conservation Services Manager, Roy Grose, and the Marlborough Sounds DOC team helped by providing guidelines, sharing knowledge and carrying out inspections.

Leanne Schmidt, the Tennyson Inlet Boat Club’s Secretary said

“Our club has invested time and effort. Conservation is an investment in places we enjoy—where you can find solitude and adventure. Our partnership with DOC has been rewarding. A success that benefits all New Zealanders.”

The upgraded Matai Bay Hut.

All completed, ready for you to visit

The club has further plans to improve Matai Bay Hut with a fly screen door, more steps off the deck and are investigating the feasibility of placing a mooring in the Bay.

In Huts, Nelson/Marlborough , , , , ,
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Mudfish monitoring in Saltwater Forest

Department of Conservation —  01/07/2014

By Cornelia Vervoon, Partnerships Ranger, Franz Josef

Rangers Mirella Pomeroy and Myles Riki were out in Saltwater Forest on the West Coast last week completing the local annual mudfish (Neochanna apoda) survey.

Range Myles setting a mudfish trap. Photo: Mirella Pomeroy.

Ranger Myles setting one of the mudfish traps

They set 30 traps and caught 32 mudfish, half a dozen koura/crayfish and some kokopu – a great result!

A mudfish and a koura. Photo: Mirella Pomeroy.

A mexican standoff between a mudfish and a koura

Mudfish are under increasing threat from habitat loss, so to find them thriving in Saltwater Forest is a really positive sign.

Two mudfish in a trap. Photo: Mirella Pomeroy.

Two mudfish in one go

Mirella found out what the bigger ones have been eating:

“We caught this one mudfish, which we thought was pregnant because it had a really big belly. Then we picked it up for a closer look… and it regurgitated (“blleeerrrgh”) a juvenile kokopu into Myles’s hand.” 

A mudfish up close. Photo: Mirella Pomeroy.

A mudfish up close

You can find more information about mudfish and New Zealand’s other freshwater fish species on the DOC website.

Saltwater Forest, South Westland. Photo: Mirabella Pomeroy.

Perfect mudfish habitat – Saltwater Forest, South Westland

In Native animals, West Coast , , , , ,
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Tracking titi’s travels

Department of Conservation —  24/06/2014

Titi, or sooty shearwaters, have one of the longest migrations of any bird on the planet.

Department of Conservation sea bird scientist, Graeme Taylor, is on Rangatira Island, in the Chatham Islands, to find out where they go.

His team employ a novel approach to try to retrieve 16 geolocators in 10 days.

Have a watch…

Rangatira Island, is one of New Zealand’s premier sea bird islands. It is free of all introduced pests and it is riddled with sea bird burrows.

In Chatham Islands, Islands, Native animals , , ,
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Turtles cruising the big blue

Department of Conservation —  23/06/2014

By Denice Gillespie, Partnerships Ranger, Kaitaia

This year during Seaweek (1-9 March) a crew from Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium in Auckland released two green turtles back to the sea in the Far North with the support of Te Rarawa Iwi.

These two turtles, named ‘Luke’ and ‘Isla’, were found washed up near Ahipara last year, and were nursed back to health by the Kelly Tarlton’s team.

Locals returning a green turtle to the sea at Ahipara.

A crowd gathered at Ahipara for the release of Luke and Isla

A large crowd gathered on the beach at Ahipara to witness the returning of the turtles back to their natural environment.

Not long after the release Cyclone Lusi hit and we were all hoping that the turtles hadn’t been affected by it. I was getting a little worried.

Green turtle swimming at Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve.

Green turtle

Dan Godoy also known as the ‘Turtle Man’ from Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium recently gave me an update on the two turtles. It is good news!

Dan reports that one turtle has just left Parengarenga and is now exploring the waters around Houhora. The other turtle was recorded around Manukau Harbour but has since left and was heading a little further south.

A map tracking one turtle near Houhora in the Far North.

One turtle tracked in the waters around Houhora

So it’s good to see our turtle friends are still cruising the big blue, sharing the turtle love! It’ll be interesting to see what they get up to over winter.

In Marine, Native animals, Northland , , , , , , ,
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Volunteering for DOC

Department of Conservation —  17/06/2014

We’re celebrating National Volunteer Week (15-21 June 2014). Join us as we share stories of the volunteers who contribute to conservation.

Sorrel Hoskin.

Sorrel Hoskin

Today, we’re publishing (with permission) an email sent by DOC Ranger, Sorrel Hoskin (New Plymouth/Ngamotu), to DOC Director-General, Lou Sanson…

As a partnerships visitor centre ranger on Mounga Taranaki I work in an amazing place—driving to work in the morning I look up at the mountain and feel lucky to work in such a special environment.

Mount Taranaki. Photo: Kathrin & Stefan Marks | CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Mounga Taranaki—an amazing place to work

We get busy at the visitor centre, and opportunities to get out and explore some of amazing places we help care for are limited.

Volunteers (left to right): Linda, Sorrel and Victoria.

Volunteers (left to right):
Linda, Sorrel and Victoria

When I read and hear about some of the cool things being done by colleagues around the country I wanted to learn more and help in some small way.

I also thought it’s important to know what we at DOC are asking of our volunteers. How can we promote and ask people to volunteer if we ourselves haven’t “walked the walk”?

So I took some annual leave and signed up as a volunteer for DOC on Maud Island doing weed work.

Ten days later, one volunteer experience doesn’t make me an expert—but it gave me an idea of what being a ‘volly’ is like.

The Maud Island trip was a big ask—10 days straight working 8 hours a day clambering up steep hills struggling through scrub looking for old man’s beard, wilding pines and pohutukawa to chop down.

Sometimes the going was steep.

Sometimes the going was steep!

Getting scratched, hot and tired, stumbling over fallen trees, ending upside down in gorse bushes… there were times I thought “what the #$@&% am I doing here?”

Old man's beard weeding.

Weeding old man’s beard

But I’d go back again and again. The hard work is balanced by the opportunity to be around some passionate, knowledgeable, DOC people—who obviously love their work—and interact with and learn more about takahē, kākāpō, giant weta, geckos, the Maud Island frog and penguins…

Common gecko
New Zealand falcon/kārearea
Penguin
Sirocco the kākāpō
Ugly/cute takahē chick

I have amazing memories of going exploring one night and having to be careful where we walk so as not to accidentally step on giant weta or any tiny Maud Island frogs.

View from Comalco Lodge, Maud Island

View from Comalco Lodge, Maud Island

Night swimming in phosphorescence and watching a “glowing” little blue penguin swim by was a highlight… and then there’s the saddening impact of what the introduction of mice to the island means to all those species and the rangers who take care of them.

Taking a break.

Taking a break

I’ve returned to my job on the mountain with a greater understanding of the work being done to protect some of our endangered species, and a higher respect for colleagues who help protect these species. I also have a little experience of what it is like to be a volunteer for DOC. It’s bloody hard work—but it’s worth it.

Sunset from Maud Island.

Sunset from Maud Island

Volunteers play a vital role in conservation in New Zealand, whether they’re working with DOC or other community conservation groups.

Volunteer for conservation and help us on our mission to make New Zealand the greatest living space on Earth!

In Nelson/Marlborough, Taranaki, Volunteers , , ,
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