Te Hōtaka kia Riha kore ki Kawau
Pest free Kawau Island programme
Find out about the programme to restore Kawau Island’s unique environment, beginning with the removal of wallabies and possums.
Introduction
This collaborative environmental programme works with, and builds on, the Pohutukawa Trust’s conservation efforts by seeking to eradicate mammalian pest species from Kawau Island to benefit both nature, residents and visitors. To create a pest free Kawau Island, Auckland Council is working in partnership with Manuhiri Kaitiaki Charitable Trust, Department of Conservation, and actively engaging the island’s community.
Background
Auckland Council formally proposed the concept of removing of possums, wallabies, rats and stoats from Kawau Island as part of the Regional Pest Management Plan 2020–2030 (RPMP). During the 2018 public consultation on the plan, the proposal received the support of 64 per cent of Aucklanders. As a result, the proposal was included in the final RPMP.
Following this, Auckland Council worked with Island Conservation in 2022 to help assess the technical feasibility and social acceptance of the proposal. This involved research looking into domestic and international eradication operations, and extensive one to one community engagement on the proposal with the Kawau Island community to discuss the potential benefits and risks, and their views and values.
The findings were documented in a feasibility report (PDF 1.2MB), and a feasibility report summary (PDF 270KB), both released in August 2023.
Following the release of the feasibility report, the council sought feedback over four weeks in August/September 2023 from the Kawau Island community on the report’s findings. As part of this engagement, we held a number of events including a webinar, drop-in sessions and field trips to nearby pest free islands.
Over 300 pieces of feedback were received in response to the feasibility report. These were analysed and compiled into a comprehensive summary report (PDF 3.2MB) which was released in November 2023.
As a result of feedback from the community, council decided to split the proposed eradication into two standalone projects with an expanded timeframe between them:
- The first project will focus on the removal of browsing animals, specifically wallabies and possums, and is expected to take approximately two years. Wallabies will be targeted first through hunting while possums will likely require a combination of trapping, baiting (using bait stations) and hunting.
- Following this, if approved, the second project would focus on the removal of predators, specifically rodents, and if present, stoats. Further discussions are continuing with the community as we look ahead to how we can work together to plan and deliver the second stage of the programme.
Why Kawau Island?
Te Kawau Tūmārō ō Toi/Kawau Island sits within the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park and has many natural and cultural values. Two significant pest free islands, Tiritiri Matangi Island and Hauturu/Little Barrier Island, along with nearby Tāwharanui Regional Park, would all support the natural reintroduction of indigenous species to Kawau Island.
A large island, Kawau has an extensive canopy of native forest. It is home to threatened and at-risk indigenous species including North Island weka, kororā/little blue penguin and pāteke/brown teal, as well as many other species of shore and forest birds, including the North Island brown kiwi and kākā.
The impact of pest animals on Kawau Island’s environment is seen across the island:
- Wallabies damage and prevent indigenous forest regeneration, selectively browsing on indigenous seedlings, plants and young trees. This changes the forest’s composition, destroying potential habitats and food sources for indigenous species. Kawau Island continues to be the only place where wallabies are located in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland. Their continued presence is a significant biosecurity risk to primary industry and the natural environment in mainland Auckland and Northland.
- Possums have a significant impact on ecosystems. They can change the overall structure and composition of indigenous forests through eating large amounts of indigenous vegetation, flowers and fruits. They also compete with indigenous species for food and habitat, and prey on lizards, insects and birds and their eggs.
- The predator species, rats and stoats, eat various indigenous species, plants and seeds disrupting indigenous ecosystems. They prey on both tree and ground dwelling bird species and their presence results in severe declines in biodiversity.
If these pest animals are not removed, the forest will continue to decline, raising the risk of erosion and fire, and reducing sources of food and habitat for indigenous species.
A successful eradication means restoring the mauri or natural balance of the island’s environment. It means a regenerating forest, existing indigenous species thriving and new ones potentially establishing on Kawau from nearby pest free islands and sanctuaries.
The complete removal of pest animal species would make Kawau Island one of the largest inhabited pest-free island in Aotearoa / New Zealand and a legacy for generations to come.
Commonly asked questions
Based on engagement with the Kawau Island community, Auckland Council has created information guide (PDF 1.2MB) on the removal of wallabies and possums from Kawau Island and a general information brochure (PDF 1.3MB) about the project.
Also available are commonly asked questions. Download the document (PDF 270KB) with these questions and their answers.
Stay informed
Visit the updates page for the latest project news, and to sign up for regular project emails.
Contact
If you have any questions, you can reach us at kawauislandproject@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
