Student and Volunteer Programme

Biodiversity project Tui Nature Reserve offers a hands-on experience to young people with an interest in conservation work. This programme offers a look into all project activities involved, plus gives an idea of what it is like to live in a very remote area.

 

BACKGROUND
The biodiversity project Tui Nature Reserve was started 15 years ago by Brian and Ellen Plaisier and is run now together with their children Leona and Liam plus the help of many different volunteers.
The reserve is protected by an Open Space covenant (QE II Trust). We have strong links with the Department of Conservation, the local district council and other community projects. We are members of the Herpetological Society and  the WWOOF organisation.
Reviews by ecologists and botanists show huge progress in the reserve and a medium to high ecological value. This is supported by our winning both the Habitat Enhancement and the overall Supreme Award at the Marlborough Environmental Awards 2009.

PROGRAMME
No skills are required, the programme focuses on the opportunity to experience aspects of predator and weed control, species monitoring, data collection, bird counts, etc.
The progamme can be affected by weather circumstances. For example, the use of monitor tunnels can only be done on a dry night.

Some of the tasks:

- Setting of monitor tunnels with ink-pads to identify animal traffic by foot print.
- Re-baiting the Timm-trap lines for possums and collecting data from those traps.
- Re-baiting the stoat-trap lines and collecting data from those traps.
- Monitoring and re-baiting the rat grid with Ka-Mate and Victor rat traps.
- Monitoring the Little Blue Penquin area along the coastline (which contains nesting boxes and stoat traps).
- The setting of cat trap-cages.

Also part of the programme:

- Introduction to our predator-dog programme (our dogs come from DOC Research Centre).
- Introduction to our breeding progamme (Kakariki’s, Forest Gecko’s, Giant Weta, etc.).
- Identifying weeds like Oldmans-Beard, Passion Fruit, Gorse, pine seedlings, etc.
- Bird Counts
- Wasp control
- One night tour to observe the Giant Weta and the Geckos

LOCATION 
The biodiversity project is located on a peninisula in the Outer Pelorus, Marlborough Sounds (S-I), with boat access only. It's opposite the national bird reserve, Maud Island.

PHILOSOPHY
The restoration of native forest and its wildlife is very important for the next generation. A hands-on experience can be an important tool for young people.
The volunteers who spend time in the reserve are often aware of environmental threats like global warming, etc, and they want to take positive action against these pressures. We like to offer ways to do that with our project. We feel that we can make a change in the world, if we all work together.

PARTICIPANTS
With limited places available for this programme (2 to 4), we are targeting participants with a keen interest to guarentee the quality of the programme for the whole group. Places can be booked by individuals and/or by groups.

LIFE ON A WILDPARK
As we are in a remote area, we don't have landlines, only cell-phone coverage. The usage of water is limited, as we are 180 metres above sea-level.  We depend on rain water combined with spring water pumped from the coastal area. We have solar power and gas water heaters.

We have built two Eco-cabins with cooking facilities, toilets and showers that are available for the volunteers

It is essential to carry sleeping bags, walking shoes and torches. Torches are also needed to observe the Giant Weta at night.

Composting and recycling are part of life in the forest, therefore we ask volunteers to take out what they bring in.

TRANSPORT
With boat access-only, transport is organised by mailboat, that leaves every Friday, at 09.15am. The night before departure from Havelock, accommodation can be booked in the local backpackers.

AVAILABILITY
The programme runs yearly, from the 1st of March, till the 30th of November. Outside that period, there could be occasional opportunities, depending on the situation.

 

FITNESS
As we work in the hills in a remote area, a general good health and reasonable fitness level is required.

 

OPTIONAL
Optional additions to the programme can be guest-speakers and a visit to Duffers Reef (King Shag colony) etc.

The programme can be tailored to the need of the volunteers.  For example, we can tailor the duration of the stay, participation time, etc.

 

CERTIFICATE
At the end of the programme, we provide a personal certificate that includes a record of the activities volunteers participate in.

 

Please contact us for any enquiries.

We look forward to working together.