Introduction

Today the Waitakere Ranges are renowned as a public parkland. The magnificent regeneration of the past 100 years gives an impressive forest canopy and understorey. But they are only a shadow of their former glory. Over the past 100 years the native plant and animal loss in the Ranges has been great, especially for species that need large areas of native forest to survive. Gone are kiwi, kokako, falcon, long-tailed cuckoo, bellbird, kakariki and short-tailed bat. Many reptiles and invertebrates have also been lost.

Many Aucklanders have toiled for the protection of the Ranges. The Regional Council’s possum control has allowed the forest vegetation to recover, but the lost wildlife cannot return until we control rats, stoats and wild cats.

The Waitakere Branch of Forest and Bird has a partnership with the Auckland Regional Council to create the Ark in the Park open sanctuary in the Cascades Kauri Park, Waitakere Ranges - to restore the natural glory of this important forest area.

Forest and Bird started predator control in 2003. The pest control has expanded greatly and is now halfway to the goal of 2000 hectares of protected forest. Ark current & future map. The first re-introductions have already occured with whiteheads released in August 2004 whiteheads release, North Island robins in April 2005 banded robin and Hihi (stitchbird) in 2007 hihi. With your support the pest control can expand to a larger area so that forest restoration and further species re-introduction can occur.

Draft Ark in the Park Restoration Plan

This is the main long term plan detailing the ecological basis of the Ark project. The Draft Plan is available here as a PDF file Draft Plan. The Restoration Plan builds upon our original Strategic & Operational plans (2002) in more detail. The Strategic Plan is available here Strategic Plan and the Operational Plan here Operational Plan. A Management Plan covering volunteer recruitment and retention, communication, relationships with stakeholders and media, funding etc will be available later in the year. A paper copy of the draft can be ordered from Sandra Jack - email her at s.jack@forestandbird.org.nz

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Support the Ark in the Park

Forest and Bird is continuing predator control in the 1200 hectare Ark in the Park area. With your support this pest control can expand to a larger area so forest restoration and the re-introduction of further species, such as kokako and kiwi, can happen.

You can support the project by making a donation to Help a Hectare

Useful links

Conservation sites

Project Partners

The Ark in the Park photos are courtesy of Dave Pattemore.