Funded by Department of Conservation Community Fund (DOC CF 2018-2020 and 2021-2024)
Initiated in April 2018, this project built on our Community - Kea Project Plans and aimed to take these to the next level by developing sustainable working groups around the South Island to increase the depth and breadth of kea conservation work currently being undertaken by communities. Funds raised by the previous community project were utilised and the partnerships developed, to kick start locally owned conservation initiatives and support for kea. An additional $840,000 was able to be generated across the seven years as a result of this project, which went directly back into local kea conservation projects.
This project addressed 3 main areas; i) develop effective, respectful, working partnerships across the kea range; ii) identify and mitigate local threats to kea and iii) educate and advocate for kea at a local level. Project plans addressing each of these areas were developed with 9 key communities (previously identified and relationships developed within) and project objectives identified and actioned. All four objectives falling out of these areas (listed below) was achieved over the term of the project and continue today.
Objectives
1. Facilitate development of 9 local kea working groups to develop and activate local threat mitigation (removal of lead, kea safe pest control, care of sick and injured kea, conflict transformation, local education/awareness).
2. Develop functional community partnerships (including local hapu, iwi ad rununga) across all 9 communities and their stakeholders.
3. Activate at least 1 local threat mitigation project per community per year.
4. Develop and activate a kea advocacy and education programme at a community level.
Our Team
Renee Habluetzel - Renée Habluetzel has lived in Arthur's Pass for over 12 years so she knows firsthand what it is like to live with kea. After having tents and other outdoor gear shredded, she's developed and applied a 'boring backyard' model to protect kea.
Renée has worked as a Union health and safety advocate and has experience in the retail and hospitality industry. She is a North Canterbury Forest and Bird branch committee member and active in Arthur's Pass conservation issues.
Tamsin Orr-Walker - Tamsin is one of the founders of the Kea Conservation Trust and has also been involved with the community engagement project since its inception. Tamsin will coordinate the project as a whole and leads the following 3 communities: Wanaka/Mt Aspiring, Queenstown/Whakatipu and Te Anau/Fiordland.
Dr Laura Young - Laura has been involved in kea research since 2009 when she first volunteered with the KCT and completed her PhD on kea in 2012. Laura leads the following 3 communities: Arthur's Pass/Canterbury, Lower West Coast and Aoraki/Mt Cook.
Community Projects and Partnerships
As with our 2015- 2017 Community Engagement Project, a number of community partnerships and projects were developed to support kea populations at a local level. For more information on each of these, please click on the links below:
- Supporting Plantation Forestry Kea – Nelson Forests (2019-2023)
- Kea Recovery – Nelmac (2019-2021)
- NZFOA – Banding kea in Plantation Forestry Estate
- Bring Back the Kea – NZSki Partnership
- Community Driven Kea Monitoring and Conservation initiatives in the Fiordland Wapiti Blocks – Paradise Valley Springs and the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation
- Tasman Lead Heads