Windy Hill Rosalie Bay Catchment Trust  

Native bird numbers have doubled in the 10 years since the Windy Hill Rosalie Bay Catchment Trust began work to protect forests on Great Barrier Island.

August 2011
Four full time employees and a group of seven committed volunteers work an average of 35 hours a week to restore habitat, trap predators and monitor endangered species on two tracts of QEII open space covenant land and two Department of Conservation stewardship blocks. Along with private land, the sanctuary area totals 620 hectares.

The field team and volunteers manage more than 4,800 bait and trap stations. Since 2001 more than 30,000 rats, 200 feral cats, 300 goats and 35 wild pigs have been removed.

The catchment area is listed as a site of ecological significance that contains many threatened, endangered and vulnerable species, including North Island robin, Moko skink, banded rail, long-tailed bat, black petrel, North Island kaka, Chevron skink and the recently re-discovered Duvaucels gecko.

ASB Community Trust considered the application a priority because the volunteers are working to conserve the land and are delivering evidence-based conservation. A grant of $30,000 will help with the group’s operating costs.