Over the next eight weeks, 300 Kiwi are moving out of Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, located between Te Awamutu and Putāruru, to boost existing populations in three areas across the North Island. Before their departure, the birds undergo health checks.
Video / Danielle Zollickhofer
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, located between Te Awamutu and Putāruru, is struggling financially and its managers say they could be forced to close in September if a solution is not found.
Now, Save the Kiwi and Hamilton & Waikato Tourism have spoken out in support of the sanctuary.
Save the Kiwi operations manager Tineke Joustra said SMM has been “pivotal” in conservation efforts, not just for kiwi but for a whole range of species.
“It’s heartbreaking. A lot of effort has gone into [this project]... Seeing all of that coming to a halt is not just sad for the people who could lose their jobs, but also for many species.
Supporters say Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari has done 'amazing things' for the recovery of kiwi. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
“Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari has done amazing things for the recovery of kiwi in the wild. We hope other organisations will come to ... support [them].”
Joustra said Save the Kiwi could sympathise with SMM since it was also a charitable organisation.
Hamilton & Waikato Tourism chief executive Nicola Greenwell was saddened to hear about SMM’s struggles.
“I knew [they were] having challenges but didn’t realise the severity.”
She said the local tourism organisation was very proud of SMM’s work, particularly with the kiwi translocation programme, the kākāpō trial, and their work to protect other New Zealand native birds.
“Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari undertake important mahi in protecting some of New Zealand’s most precious species.
“Over the years our team have worked with SMM to showcase the maunga to manuhiri to our region. Visitors enjoy the serene experience ... and provide high praise.
Hamilton & Waikato Tourism chief executive Nicola Greenwell.
“With conscious balancing, visitation has the potential to provide an income stream for conservation efforts; however, this takes time and is unlikely to replace the need for central and local government investment.
“We hope the team at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari are able to secure their future – for the sake of the flora and fauna, the community and for visitors to our region.”
Taranaki-King Country MP Barbara Kuriger has thrown her support behind the sanctuary, saying she was working with the Maungatautari Ecological Trust Board to explore all options.
“It would be an absolute travesty if Maungatautari closed ... Waikato and New Zealand cannot afford to lose such valuable biodiversity.”
SMM general manager Helen Hughes said it would cost $5000 a day to keep the sanctuary operating.
“We are facing a shortfall of $250,000 for this year alone - and this is after we reworked the budget to cut everything we can.”
Department of Conservation Kākāpō Recovery operations manager Deidre Vercoe introduces Manawanui to the crowd at Sanctuary Mountain. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
SMM has been run by Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust (MEIT) since 2001.
“Since December last year, we knew the Trust was struggling. In March, it became abundantly clear that we are going backwards,” Hughes said.
She said when the trust was set up, there had been a partnership agreement between the Government, Waipā District Council and Waikato Regional Council, with all contributing $300,000 a year towards operational costs.
“This [agreement] has largely been honoured by central Government until 2013, then we had to apply for contestable funding. Two years ago, the Department of Conservation stopped all baseline funding.
“If the Government had kept their end of the bargain for the past four years, we would have been fine.”
Jane Wheeler, DoC Waikato operations manager, said DoC had contributed $1.17million to SMM over the last four years.
Taranaki - King Country MP Barbara Kuriger.
This figure included a grant of $589,000 as part of the Jobs for Nature programme, a grant of $441,000 for threatened species monitoring and $140,000 for the kākāpō translocation.
“The Jobs for Nature funding was – in our view – used to fund operations at the site, specifically salaries for staff and general maintenance of the fence, plus alterations to the fence for the kākāpō translocation,” Wheeler said.
SMM recently started fundraising campaigns and held its annual fundraising gala which had been “God sent”, Hughes said.
Several staff, including herself, had made donations to SMM.
A spokesperson for the minister said: “Questions about this issue are best put to the Department of Conservation”.
The spokesperson would not comment on how the minister found his visit to SMM in May and would not confirm if the minister had responded to the letter or if he was taking any steps to support SMM.
Hughes said she was yet to get any financial commitment from central Government.
“I’m bewildered... they’ve done it for Ruapehu (ski fields), they’ve done it for Surf Life Saving, why not for us?”
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.
DoC Waikato operations manager Jane Wheeler said she understood the sanctuary faced “significant” financial challenges, however, the decisions on Ruapehu and Surf Life Saving New Zealand had not been made by DoC.
“Obviously, we’re concerned about the trust’s current situation and continue to work with Maungatautari to avoid a closure of the sanctuary.
“We are in an ongoing conversation about their present financial situation and long-term financial sustainability. We’re also exploring other ways we can support the trust and its conservation work.
“We want Maungatautari to succeed and continue – it’s done some great work protecting important taonga species for the future.”
Future of Maungatautari
Hughes said while a closure was definitely on the cards, it was the last resort.
“I’m not taking the closure for an answer, I’m way too stubborn for this.
“I’m still positive, I believe we find a solution that hopefully includes central Government coming to the table.”
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.
“If we haven’t found a solution by the end of August, we will put plans in place [for a closure].”
She said one option would be to reduce staff and have the sanctuary go back to a volunteer organisation. This could also mean the end of the kākāpō trial.
“Our main asset is the fenceline, so another option would be to gift it to another charity or trust. But if we can’t make the numbers work, I don’t think anybody can.”
She said if the public was able to help, SMM would welcome donations of any size.
“And put pressure on your local MPs, lobby for us.”
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is an ancient, predator-free, forest in the Waikato, 30 minutes drive from Cambridge. Photo / Hamilton and Waikato Tourism
By 2006 the entire mountain, roughly 3400 hectares, was clear of mammals except for mice. The kiwi translocation programmes got under way.
“We are the largest predator-fenced eco-sanctuary in the world. A little fun fact: We are as big as Uluru in Australia and 10 times the size of Central Park [in New York],” Hughes said.
Over the years, Maungatautari has become a sanctuary for endangered birds, native wildlife and plants.
Last year, SMM wrote history when it became home to a kākāpō population. It was the first time, kākāpō had been living on the mainland in 40 years.
This year, SMM, together with Save the Kiwi and Ngati Koroki Kahukura, led the biggest kiwi translocation in New Zealand to date, when 222 birds moved to new homes.
For more information or to donate, visit SMM’s website.
