Friends of Mana Island Projects

Here are some of the major projects – past, present and future – which FOMI has completed or is planning for Mana Island.

To read about all the projects undertaken in 2022, see our latest performance report.

 

** White-faced storm petrel translocation project: 2019-2021 – completed

FOMI successfully translocated white-faced storm petrels / rōrō, takahikare-moana from Rekohu / Chathams to Mana Island over a three-year period.  Read more…

** Fernbirds / mātātā translocation project 2019 – completed

In April 2019 FOMI moved 40 North Island fernbirds /mātātā from Rotokare Scenic Reserve in South Taranaki to Mana Island. They are now successfully breeding. Read more…

** Flax weevil project – ongoing

Work is underway to determine why the flax weevil is severely damaging flax on Mana Island. This research report covers the work undertaken to date – “Beauveria pseudobassiana and the flax weevil from Mana Island”, by Travis Glare and Jenny Brookes, Bio-Protection Research Centre, Lincoln University, November 2017. You can also read a summary story in the December 2017 newsletter (page 6); and more in June 2020 newsletter.

Here is the first research report – Flax planting trial looks at weevil damage (June 2017)

The background to the 2017 trial is in this 2013 blog by Colin Miskelly – A plague of flax weevils, a conservation hyper-success story. 

FAUNA

Seabirds

FOMI will be conducting annual surveys for five years (began 2016) using specially trained dogs to detect seabird burrows and nesting sites on Mana Island.

We will continue our efforts to attract burrow nesting seabirds, including the fluttering shearwater and the fairy prion (read the 2016 translocation report).  This work first began in 2006. The most recent fairy prion chick translocation was in January 2016 with a 100 percent fledgling rate of the chicks.

In 2019 we began translocating white-faced storm petrels from Rekohu / Chathams to Mana Island over a three-year period. Fifty chicks in 2019, 100 each in 2020 and 2021. This work is made possible through funding from our major sponsor OMV New Zealand Ltd.

The concrete gannet colony continues to  be maintained with the concrete decoys repainted in 2016 with a new neck colour, some were moved to higher ground and the speakers emitting bird calls were relocated in December 2017. The famous gannet – Nigel – was on the island from 2015 to 2018 when he died. It is hoped one day some female gannets will stay awhile and start breeding. Read this article from 1998 about the establishment of the concrete gannet colony. 

Native birds

In 2019 we translocated North Island fernbird / mātātā to the island’s wetland. There were previously none on Mana.

We continue to undertake five-minute bird counts to monitor the establishment of tui and bellbird populations on the island. And we are planning to maintain records of other species we call ‘vagrant or colonising species’ such as kaka, kereru, red-crowned kākāriki.

Reptiles

FOMI continues to monitor the Ngahere gecko on Mana Island.

Work on monitoring skinks is continuing, with the spotted skink now having a self-sustaining population on the island.

See this DOC brochure about the lizards in the Wellington region. 

Invertebrates

FOMI will be investigating methods to increase the diversity of invertebrate communities, including the suitability of different species for introduction on to the island.

FLORA

Mana Island Floral Diversity Project

This is a three-stage process to enhance the floral diversity of the island.

  • Mana Island Floral Diversity Enhancement Report-Stage 1- April 2015 – This first report outlines the collation and review of information about the revegetation and floral diversity of Mana Island. In 2010, Friends of Mana Island identified the need to improve the floral diversity on the island, following 27 years of planting and threatened plant management. Existing information was reviewed and recommendations made for volunteer opportunities.
  • Mana Island Floral Diversity Enhancement Report, Stage 2 – May 2016 – This latest report outlines stage two which involved the ground truthing of floral restoration work that had been undertaken in the past, and the desktop findings of the stage one report. It suggests additional species, including threatened plants, which could be introduced to the restoration programme. It also has recommendations for replanting the Waikoko wetland and other plantings.

Restoring the Waikoko wetland and wildlife

This project got underway in 2019 and included constructing a loop walk with a bird hide, new planting and weed control. The restoration work will also provide an enhanced habitat for aquatic species such as mudfish, as well as birds.

Threatened plants

FOMI will be developing a threatened plant action plan, with the possibility of establishing a specialist team for this work.

Planting and weed control

Although the major planting programme on the island is complete, work continues to collect seed from plants, introduce threatened plants and tree ferns into microhabitats (as per the 2016 Floral Diversity report), do lightwelling of canopy trees, and continue weed control of priority weeds in all habitats.

 

VISITOR EXPERIENCE

FOMI’s guiding and interpretation project

A team of guides has been trained to take visitors around the island on day trips. In addition, FOMI has produced a self-guided trail brochure for visitors to use as they walk around the island and visit numbered sites.

FOMI will continue to enhance the visitor experience on Mana Island.

The project is sponsored by SWAZI NZ, the suppliers of the jackets which FOMI guides wear.

 

MONITORING AND INFORMATION

In 2016, FOMI set up a new monitoring and information project. Its aims are to:

  • organise information from activities on Mana Island to ensure that restoration progress can be effectively monitored and publicised
  • establish an information hub for the island, and
  • review and where possible improve the monitoring of the ecological restoration of the island.