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Windy Hill – Rosalie Bay

Location of Windy Hill - Rosalie BayThe Windy Hill Rosalie Bay Catchment Trust actively promotes biodiversity, conservation, the conservation experience, conservation partnerships and quality conservation management.

Vision

The objective is to reduce the densities of invasive pests sufficiently to allow the reintroduction of species lost to Great Barrier with a particular focus on birds.

Location

South eastern Great Barrier Island.

Area

The area is a mosaic of mature and regenerating coastal broadleaf podocarp forest of significant ecological value. Integrated plant and animal pest management began in a small area in 1999 and over the last ten years has increased to around 700 HA involving 14 landowners. As resources and interested neighbours allow it will continue to expand. The sanctuary is divided into four pest management project areas - Little Windy Hill, Big Windy Hill, Benthorn Farm and Rosalie Bay. The sanctuary area is a haven for North Island kaka, kereru, banded rails, chevron skinks, and pateke ( brown teal duck).

Organisations involved

Windy Hill/Rosalie Bay Catchment Trust and private landowners.

Management history

From 1999 trapping was the sole method used to reduce pest densities, however monitoring indicated this was not sufficient and a twice yearly pulse of toxin was introduced in August 2005. In 2008 the project began converting to a fully toxin based programme to improve efficacy further and reduce costs. There is a comprehensive monitoring programme in place – birds, freshwater streams, lizards, invertebrates, weta, and lizards are monitored twice yearly. Rat tracking tunnels are monitored five times a year. Tracking tunnels in July 2009 averaged at 6% which has been the best result to date.

In 2004 and again in 2009 North Island Robin were translocated to the sanctuary- the first of any species to be returned to Great Barrier. Two rare chevron skinks have been released into the area following rehabilitation at the Auckland Zoo.

Website

www.windyhillsanctuary.nz

Newsletters

Newsletter 41, December 2021

Newsletter 40, June 2021

Newsletter 39, December 2020

Newsletter 38, June 2020

Newsletter 36, December 2019

Newsletter 34, December 2018

Newsletter 33, June 2018

Newsletter 31, June 2017

Newsletter 29, June 2016

Newsletter 28, December 2015

Newsletter 27, June 2015

Newsletter 26, December 2014

Newsletter 19, June 2011

Newsletter 18, December 2010

Newsletter 15, June 2009

Newsletter 14, December 2008

Reports

Twenty years of ecological restoration; a review, April 2019

Windy Hill Sanctuary Goodnature A24 Trap Project: Final Report #10, September 2018

Report #10 Appendix 1: Cost Comparison Goodnature A24 with Windy Hill Sanctuary Station