Volunteer activities | Ark in the Park

Reaching the children

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:41:43 +1200

Education activities are another Ark activity. Kathy Chandler, a volunteer who is a primary school teacher, here can be seen using her skills to communicate with a group of children at a public conservation event.

Photograph: Peter Buchanan

Volunteer group

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:41:29 +1200

As you can see, volunteers come in all shapes and sizes!

Invertebrate survey

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:41:07 +1200

Monitoring of invertebrate numbers is an important indicator of the habitat recovery. Dr Peter Maddison, President of Forest and Bird, and a professional entomologist, oversees the process. He is assisted here by Dee Lloyd, who also performs the key role of Sunday Sausage Lady.

Opening the hangi

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:40:49 +1200

Rikki Bennet (in blue shirt) is the ARC ranger based at the Cascades. He, along with his colleagues (Jason Duff is seen in black on the right), contributes to our project with practical assistance, and Rikki adds a special dimension by sharing his maori culture. Here he supervises the opening of a hangi (earth oven), at a gathering of volunteers. His playing of a maori flute is a haunting accompaniment to our dawn celebration of Matariki (the maori New Year, when the Pleiades become visible at mid-winter)

Hangi feast

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:39:55 +1200

Gathering at ranger station

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:39:36 +1200

Volunteers wait to be allocated their task by the organiser. Most days we welcome some newcomers, and take care to ensure they are given a task within their capabilities. They will always be paired with an experienced volunteer.

Photograph: Maurice Colgan

Westie Chick

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:39:16 +1200

Robin nests are searched for, the chicks carefully removed, and bands placed on their legs before returning them to the nest. This has demonstrated that the chicks of the 50 birds released from Mokoia Island in 2005 are not only surviving, but also that they are now successfully breeding chicks of their own.

Photograph: Karen Colgan

Jeorg and robin chick

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:37:37 +1200

Jeorg Ermert, from Germany, with robin chick

Photograph: Karen Colgan

Joe and wasp trap

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:37:08 +1200

Joe Spencer, from England, helps set up wasp traps, to provide information on the population density.

Photograph: John Sumich

Linda and robin chick

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:36:22 +1200

Linda Reissig, a student helper from Germany, holds a robin chick, in preparation for banding.

Photograph:Karen Colgan

Minoru and stoat trap

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:35:51 +1200

Students, many from overseas, have made a major contribution to the project, and become valued friends. Here Minoru Toyama, from Japan, sets a stoat trap.

Photograph: John Sumich

A sausage a day

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:33:49 +1200

The end of a volunteer session is marked by the keenly anticipated sausage and hot drink. Val Lyon (pictured here) and her fellow chefs prepare these treats, kindly donated by the Friends of Arataki.

dinner

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:31:50 +1200

It's not all work!

Vegetation survey

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:30:34 +1200

The Ark project provides excellent opportunity for research. Here John Staniland, assisted by Liz Fraser, is investigating the variety of plant species. His findings confirmed that the habitat provides a wide range of food supplies, making it highly suitable for restorations.

Making nest boxes

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:11:47 +1200

One of the support skills needed is that of handyman. Here Ken Hollman and Colleen Pratt fabricate nest boxes, in preparation for the Hihi release.

Photograph: John Staniland