Before the project began, two surveys by the Department of Conservation (DOC) had shown kiwi populations plummeting because of predators.  As with elsewhere on the New Zealand mainland, fewer than 5% of kiwi chicks were estimated to survive, and adult kiwi were frequently reported killed by dogs and land clearing.  

Today, Whenuakite Kiwi Care Group’s members represent a vibrant partnership between local landowners and residents, and staff at DOC and the Waikato Regional Council (Environment Waikato). 

Achieving the group’s goals calls on a wide range of skills, including:

• Technical skills, such as predator and pest control, and kiwi call monitoring
• Public speaking and writing brochures and display panels to raise people’s awareness about kiwi and promote "kiwi-safe" behaviours
• Managing the business side of the Whenuakite Kiwi Care Group – raising funds and managing finances, finding sponsors, writing management plans, and some merchandising
• Managing people – including volunteers, contractors, health and safety, and group dynamics

The group’s core work is co-ordinating predator control in the Kiwi Recovery Area.   It has also put up signs and information to make sure everyone knows that kiwis are here and what that means for them, and the role they can play.  Signs include large, eye-catching "Kiwi Zone" signs at each end of the Tairua Hill State Highway, and smaller green signs at the main public access points.  Information panels and a donations box are also in place at “Lookout Corner”, a popular stop on the highway, and at the Tairua Information Centre.

The Whenuakite Kiwi Care Group has a broad focus to include wider environmental issues that affect the area, and therefore kiwi habitat.  This includes periodic management of rat populations, and education to try and stop people dumping rubbish, and unwanted pets (especially cats) and weeds along roadsides, as these have an impact on the places kiwi live. 

Size of Area under Protection

The Whenuakite Kiwi Care Group looks after about 4000 hectares of regenerating coastal forest. This includes both Crown-owned and private land, known collectively as the Whenuakite Kiwi Recovery Area.

Biggest Challenge

The biggest challenge for the group is that its work must be “forever”.  As long as there are stoats, ferrets, dogs, cats and human disturbance, the kiwi will be threatened.   And for other species such as kaka, kereru, tui, fantail and grey warblers, within the kiwi’s habitat to thrive we also need to control the numbers of possums, rats, weasels, hedgehogs, pigs and weed plants.  It’s a big, long-term job.

Biggest Successes

A 2005 survey showed the group’s predator control work has helped kiwi numbers more than double in five years.  The survey found that 68 adult kiwi now live within the Whenuakite Kiwi Recovery Area, compared to only 31 adults in a 2001 survey.  And there are unknown numbers of juvenile Coromandel Brown Kiwi as well.   Building on these successes helps keep people motivated.

Another of the Whenuakite Kiwi Care Group’s biggest successes is how it has brought people together to look after and enjoy this special area. Locals report seeing more kereru and kaka, fewer pests and predators, and love hearing the kiwi call.  The project is helping to build community spirit. Most locals now realize that without the group’s work, the kiwis are doomed to disappear.   They feel that they are “their” kiwi and who else will or should look after them? Alongside this, friendships grow stronger and there’s real hands-on caring for the place.  There’s a lot of laughter and fun and you can feel the wairua, the spirit.
 
Funding

The Whenuakite group is blessed with a number of sponsors and supporters to whom they are grateful:

• Bank of New Zealand Save the Kiwi Trust
• Colenso Café – SH25, Whenuakite (our wonderful venue for committee meetings and special events)
• Department of Conservation
• “Biodiversity Condition Fund” (predator control)
• “Community Conservation Fund” (predator control, kiwi survey)
• Hauraki Area Office (administration, possum/ rat control, technical advice, vital moral support)
• EB Firth Charitable Trust (track maintenance)
• Environment Waikato (possum/ rodent bait, predator control, technical advice, kiwi survey, vital moral support)
• Forest & Bird Mercury Bay (general costs)
• Forest & Bird Waikato “Lilian Valder Fund” (information panel, predator control)
• JA Orchard (auditor)
• Lotteries (predator control, kiwi survey)
• New Zealand Landcare Trust (predator control, kiwi survey)
• New Zealand Post “Community Post” (postage)
• Sir John Logan Campbell Residuary Estate Trust (predator control)
• Thames-Coromandel District Council “Treasure Chest” (Information Panels)
• Thames Natural Soap Company (profits from “Coromandel Kiwi” soap sales)
• Trust Waikato (volunteer costs, publicity)
• WWF – New Zealand “Habitat Protection Fund” (predator control)
• Zeagold Foods (thousands of egg baits) 

Other key supporters are the Ngati Hei Trust (tangata whenua) and other landowners who welcome the kiwi group onto their lands, or actually do the predator control themselves. Without them this project could not exist.
 
The Most Important Things

The Whenuakite Kiwi Care Group recognises that saving kiwi is a business. 

The Whenuakite group sees as important: