Methanex New Zealand Ltd supports eastern Taranaki kōkako project

East Taranaki Environment Collective ranger Jayden Fabish (right) talks to Methanex staff during a training day at Everett Park. Photo / East Taranaki Environment Collective

New Zealand’s only methanol manufacturer is supporting a Taranaki conservation project.

Methanex New Zealand Ltd is supporting the East Taranaki Environment Collective (ETEC) to reintroduce kōkako to eastern Taranaki bush.

The project is centred on the 3854ha Pouiatoa Conservation Area, between Okoki and Purangi. The collective has cared for the area since 2009 on behalf of the Department of Conservation and local iwi Ngāti Maru and Ngāti Mutunga.

The company first supported the ETEC in 2018. It provided funds to help move 20 kōkako from Te Hauturu-o-Toi (Little Barrier Island) 80km north of Auckland, to a 1000ha block within the conservation area.

Methanex is now expanding its support of the kōkako project with a new one-year sponsorship agreement, which will help the ETEC field team to continue to protect and monitor the native birds.

ETEC conservation manager Kat Strang says the support will help set up a self-supporting kōkako population in eastern Taranaki.

“The Pouiatoa is the perfect location for this project, as the core area is largely untouched and with plenty of tall native tree species, such as tawa, which the kōkako love to inhabit. But we need to continue to care for the birds by monitoring and conserving the population, and by continuing to carry out necessary pest control work.”

In September each year the ETEC field team does a census survey to check on the health of the kōkako population.

She says last year’s results were encouraging.

“The survey identified 16 birds during the census and another three prior to its start. This result was considered conservative because many more kōkako were heard, but the field team was unable to verify if they were different to the ones identified. Several of the birds were also unbanded, which also complicated the census. The results indicate that North Island kōkako are back in Taranaki and are breeding,” says Strang.

Before the birds were moved, the last kōkako seen in eastern Taranaki forest was in 1999.

“The last known kōkako in Taranaki was captured in the Moki Forest and translocated due to the threat of predation. Hopefully, we are succeeding in establishing a self-sustaining population. It will be a slow process to build up this population, but the support of Methanex will be vital to this.”

As part of the sponsorship agreement, ETEC is undertaking an education programme on pest control with Methanex staff.

The first session was at Everett Park Scenic Reserve. Methanex’s finance team spent a day checking and re-setting traps, maintaining some track and listening for birds. ETEC manages pest control at Everett Park on behalf of DOC.

Jenny Wells, Methanex director of business support says by partnering with the collective, the company was helping its local environment in a meaningful way.

“And being able to come along and see, firsthand, the difference our investment can make is really special.”