Book your space to experience the conservation efforts being done in the Picton area

Come and find out how two Award winners are working together to bring back the bush and birds in the Picton area.

You will be catching a boat to Kaipupu and numbers are limited, so please book your space by emailing bev.doole@icloud.com or phone (03) 570 5233 by September 10!

Picton Dawn Chorus

The Picton Dawn Chorus are a community group with the aim of controlling predators in Picton/Waikawa and the surrounding hills to restore our native bird life and support the work at Kaipupu Point.

When Captain Cook came to the Queen Charlotte Sound in 1770, his botanist, Joseph Banks, described the dawn chorus he heard in his journal. This morn I was awakd by the singing of the birds ashore from whence we are distant not a quarter of a mile, the numbers of them were certainly very great who seemd to strain their throats with emulation perhaps; their voices were certainly the most melodious wild musick I have ever heard, almost imitating small bells….

Sadly, with the introduction of countless pest mammals, many of our forests have fallen silent. Particularly rodents (rats and mice), mustelids (weasels, stoats and ferrets) and possums are considered some of the most damaging pests. Picton Dawn Chorus is an Incorporated Society, set up by a group of passionate Picton residents with the aim of controlling introduced predators in order to restore our native bird life.

The Society is committed to using humane and environmentally sensitive methods of predator control. The work has been split in to four stages: 1) the Victoria Domain, 2) Urban Picton and Waikawa, 3) The Wedge, 4) The surrounding hills of Picton. Traps have been set out on the Victoria Domain and these are checked and maintained by volunteers on  a weekly roster. In Picton/Waikawa township, residents are trapping in their own gardens. The control programme on the Wedge is in preparation and due to be initiated in the winter of 2018.

Kaipupu Wildlife Sanctuary

Kaipupu Wildlife Sanctuary is a community project which aims to restore a 40 hectare ‘mainland island’ in Picton harbour.  The Sanctuary offers amazing wildlife viewing, engaging school or group visits and volunteering opportunities. Once a food collection site for Maori, Kaipupu translates from ‘kai’ meaning food and ‘pupu’ a type of shellfish.   The 2.7km  circular walking track will take you through recovering native bush, old growth forest and our restoration zone.  The bush clad hills are home to many of New Zealand’s unique native wildlife including tui, korimako (bellbird), piwakawaka (fantail), kereru (NZ woodpigeon), korora (little penguin), tree weta, raukawa gecko and waiharakeke grass skink.  New Zealand fur seal can often be found lazing on the jetty over autumn and winter.