Forrest & Bird - Southland | Environmental Action in the Community

For more than 40 years the Te Rere Yellow-Eyed Penguin Reserve on the Catlins coast has been managed by the Southland branch of Forest and Bird. Hoiho (yellow-eyed penguins) are among the rarest penguins in the world.
The 61-hectare reserve was the largest single site for them on mainland New Zealand until February 1995, when a fire swept through the reserve, killing many penguins and damaging plantings and forest areas. Since then Forest and Bird has increased fire control and its planting of native species has nearly returned vegetation to its natural state. They have employed a part-time caretaker to oversee the reserve, undertaking weed and pest control, but restoration relies on voluntary effort for most of the work.
Te Rere is a long-term restoration project and everybody’s help is needed and appreciated. Southland Forest and Bird members along with volunteers help with annual native planting days. Their goal is to save the endangered hoiho from extinction by providing an improved native habitat for nesting with plantings, and eradication of predators through trapping and monitoring. This work also benefits many other native species.
Te Rere is a very crucial habitat for hoiho, but in spite of the revegetation work already accomplished, their numbers have plummeted through diseases affecting the species.
The members’ work is helping to support nesting pairs which is a crucial part of efforts to stabilise their population.