This year, the Endeavour Inlet Conservation Trust expanded its predator control network by a further 60 hectares on the slopes of Puhikereru / Mt Furneaux, connecting existing trapping efforts with the coastal wetland at the head of Punaruawhiti / Endeavour Inlet — a Significant Natural Area recognised by the Marlborough District Council.
With support from WWF-New Zealand's Community Conservation Fund, Outward Bound participants installed 66 new trap sites in December, each equipped with a Goodnature A24 automatic trap and a Trapinator. Connected by six kilometres of newly cut trap lines, the expansion brings the Trust's network to more than 320 trap sites and over 640 traps.
The results have been immediate. In just four months, the new traps removed 77 possums and more than 200 rats.
"After that first flush of catches, predator numbers have dropped steadily, which tells us we are taking the pressure off native species," says EICT Chair Carey Virtue. "For species like titipounamu and ngirongiro, that breathing room is everything."
Further north, the Guardians of Tūtira and Districts have been restoring the Guthrie Smith Mangapouri Wetland beside Lake Tūtira — turning what was once a sheep-grazed paddock into a flourishing wetland for both wildlife and people.
Formed in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle to support local farmers, the community catchment group has since grown into a force for environmental restoration and resilience.
Today, the site is home to 12,500 native plants, new walkways, and three bridges, creating an extension of the Guthrie Smith Arboretum where visitors, schools, and the wider community can connect with nature and learn about the importance of wetland ecosystems.
The project has been powered by community effort, with local volunteers, Tūtira School, Maungaharuru Tangitū Trust, Hawke's Bay Regional Council, Forest & Bird, Forest Management NZ, and the Guthrie Smith Trust all contributing to planting days and restoration work.
As George Christison, Manager of the Guthrie Smith Trust, reflects, "This native planting contributes to the ongoing efforts to protect and safeguard a significant tributary of Lake Tūtira."
Together, these projects show what can be achieved when communities come together with a shared vision for nature. Whether reducing predator pressure in native forest or restoring freshwater habitat, local action is creating healthier ecosystems for generations to come.
WWF-New Zealand’s Community Conservation Fund, in partnership with the Tindall Foundation, is proud to support these projects.