Exciting news! Northland’s first kiwi corridor, officially known as the Kiwi Link Community Pest Control Area, where kiwis can safely roam and enjoy their family life, has been opened in Whangarei. The opening of the kiwi sanctuary was highlighted with the release of 10 of the iconic birds into a 2,000ha predator-controlled area by Taheke Landcare Group in late April.
The safe haven was made possible by the collaboration and initiatives led by Kiwi Coast, linking over 160 community conservation projects, iwi and hapu, schools, forestry companies, government agencies and organisations. Together the collaborative has focused on their shared vision of restoring the health of our native forests, helping native wildlife thrive and increasing Northland kiwi numbers.
The corridor currently covers 14,000ha on Whangārei’s east coast. However, Kiwi Coast have a far bigger picture than that, as they are aiming to create a total of 30,000ha of predator-free managed land across Northland, linking 175 community initiatives to protect kiwi.
Backyard Kiwi, one of the member organisations of the Kiwi Coast project, has been successfully increasing the number of Northland brown kiwi in Whāngarei Heads, now counting more than 800 in the area.
We would like to acknowledge this great achievement and collaborative approach which is hugely encouraging and inspiring. The Forest Bridge Trust has also been closely working with like-minded local community groups, landowners and schools in our rohe to protect, enhance and connect the native wildlife and the habitat they live in. We are excited by the imminent translocation of Kiwi to Mt Tamahunga, which will be the second translocation of kiwi in our area. We hope that one day they will meet up with their Northland kiwi whānau.
You can read the original newsfeed at Stuff.co.nz
