August 2025 Newsletter
August 2025 Newsletter
(Edition 106)
Upcoming Volunteer Trips
We have these midweek volunteer trips coming up, travelling by Dreamweaver from Pier Z:
Friday 19 September
Thursday 16 October
Thursday 13 November
Friday 5 December
Friday 12 December
If you are a group interested in joining one of these trips (or another date), please email Simon on volunteermotuihe@gmail.com
We have these volunteer trips coming up, all travelling by water taxi from Okahu Bay:
Sunday 7 September (general volunteer day)
Thursday 18 September (invasive weeds, nursery)
Sunday 21 September (endangered plants)
Saturday 4 October (general volunteer day)
Wednesday 15 October (invasive weeds, nursery)
Sunday 19 October (endangered plants)
Individuals can book on any of these trips by registering here:
Register or email operations@motuihe.org.nz
As we have limited space on each trip, please only register on a trip once you are sure you are able to make it
Volunteering Opportunities
(Edition 106)
Upcoming Volunteer Trips
We have these midweek volunteer trips coming up, travelling by Dreamweaver from Pier Z:
Friday 19 September
Thursday 16 October
Thursday 13 November
Friday 5 December
Friday 12 December
If you are a group interested in joining one of these trips (or another date), please email Simon on volunteermotuihe@gmail.com
We have these volunteer trips coming up, all travelling by water taxi from Okahu Bay:
Sunday 7 September (general volunteer day)
Thursday 18 September (invasive weeds, nursery)
Sunday 21 September (endangered plants)
Saturday 4 October (general volunteer day)
Wednesday 15 October (invasive weeds, nursery)
Sunday 19 October (endangered plants)
Individuals can book on any of these trips by registering here:
Register or email operations@motuihe.org.nz
As we have limited space on each trip, please only register on a trip once you are sure you are able to make it
Volunteering Opportunities
We are always on the look out for volunteers to join our Operations team, it's a rewarding way to contribute to our project. Contact operations@motuihe.org.nz to find out more about what's involved.
Fundraising Update
A big call-out to Auckland Council for providing a contribution towards our operating costs over the next 3 years. We rely on grants and donations to allow us to continue the amazing restoration work that we do on the island.
New Signs For Motuihe
During this year a small group of DOC, Motuihe Project and commercial printers/designers have been working away to upgrade the three heritage signs on Motuihe. The three signs are:
- The big curved heritage sign on the headland that tells the history of the island
- THE PLAN sign near the road below the ranger’s house
- THE FUTURE sign which is at the eastern end of the Tieke Track as you come up the zig zag.
The outcome is fantastic and if you visit the island, take the time to visit all three signs - they are worth a look! (Fiona Alexander)
Another Way to Use iNaturalist and Help Our Seabirds
Did you know that you can use iNaturalist to log penguin sightings from the water taxi? This information can then be used by penguin people everywhere to feed the pool of data about how our penguins are faring:
www.iNaturalist.org/observations
Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd August - Penguin Overnighter
This was our first penguin overnight trip, and we were lucky to have Melissa McLuskie from the NZ Penguin Initiative along with us. While our schedule for the weekend didn't quite work out the way we'd planned, it was a very productive 2 days and we were there to learn - and we learned a lot!
We were lucky to spot a penguin coming ashore on Saturday evening, and our footprint survey on Sunday morning showed that there are many more penguins nesting around the island. Our korora prefer natural burrows rather than the nesting boxes we've installed for them, which makes them more difficult to find. And it's even harder to see what's happening inside, we are grateful that we are able to use our burrowscopes to get a peep at inside action.
We were lucky to spot a penguin coming ashore on Saturday evening, and our footprint survey on Sunday morning showed that there are many more penguins nesting around the island. Our korora prefer natural burrows rather than the nesting boxes we've installed for them, which makes them more difficult to find. And it's even harder to see what's happening inside, we are grateful that we are able to use our burrowscopes to get a peep at inside action.
Setting our for evening monitoring (Sylvie Hermann-Le Denmat)
Penguin footprints (Patsy Hindson)
Saturday 16th August - General Volunteer Day
The day saw a full crew of 17 aboard the water taxi with an unexpected departure from Okahu Marina as the launching jetties were out of commission.
The team split up at the nursery with Ethan heading off to clear the clay dam drain with the weed eater and Fiona to undertake her Freshwater Kukuwai Monitoring. Rachel and Julie S did a great job in the nursery potting up Kanuka and Kohekohe. The rest of the team planted 232 canopy trees in Nectar Valley with a mix of Puriri, Taraire, Pigeonwood, Tawapou, Karaka, Matai and an amazing 146 Kahikatea seedlings. While there was plenty of spaces in the area for the seedlings, at times it was a bit challenging bushwhacking through the plant regeneration. What was stunning was the size of some Kahikatea that had been planted early in the restoration - the trunk size was around 300mm and the height was 8-10metres. The damp growing conditions in this area is a gem for this tree species.
David kindly took the team for a guided walk through Tieke Track and on their return, the Roberts family, Anna, Alex & Alisha joined the nursery team to prick out the remaining Kohekohe. Around 250 plants were potted up altogether, a great effort in a single day. Phil, Karen & Sophie Le Roche tackled the ever-present mothplant on the fringes of the Tieke Track.
The predicted weather change came through during the day so with the assistance of taxi skipper Pieter, we managed to have an earlier departure home. Even though the day was shortened, there was a lot accomplished. We thank everyone for the great teamwork and attitude.
We hope they will all return another day.
The team split up at the nursery with Ethan heading off to clear the clay dam drain with the weed eater and Fiona to undertake her Freshwater Kukuwai Monitoring. Rachel and Julie S did a great job in the nursery potting up Kanuka and Kohekohe. The rest of the team planted 232 canopy trees in Nectar Valley with a mix of Puriri, Taraire, Pigeonwood, Tawapou, Karaka, Matai and an amazing 146 Kahikatea seedlings. While there was plenty of spaces in the area for the seedlings, at times it was a bit challenging bushwhacking through the plant regeneration. What was stunning was the size of some Kahikatea that had been planted early in the restoration - the trunk size was around 300mm and the height was 8-10metres. The damp growing conditions in this area is a gem for this tree species.
David kindly took the team for a guided walk through Tieke Track and on their return, the Roberts family, Anna, Alex & Alisha joined the nursery team to prick out the remaining Kohekohe. Around 250 plants were potted up altogether, a great effort in a single day. Phil, Karen & Sophie Le Roche tackled the ever-present mothplant on the fringes of the Tieke Track.
The predicted weather change came through during the day so with the assistance of taxi skipper Pieter, we managed to have an earlier departure home. Even though the day was shortened, there was a lot accomplished. We thank everyone for the great teamwork and attitude.
We hope they will all return another day.
Wednesday 20th August - Corporate Volunteer Day
With 40 volunteers lined up keen to get going, not the best start to the day with a Dreamweaver engine not working and the very late appearance of the deckhand. It was a good job the weather turned out to be nice! Teams from Westpac, NTT Data and BNZ set sail, about 9.20, with Graham, Frances and Simon. Better logistics were on show with Graeme getting Lois, Colin and Ants to the nursery well before the rest, even kindly bringing the tractor to the isthmus. Once established we all headed off to the paperclip (head south from Taraire bush) for a planting, weeding, track clearing combo deal.
The final tally was 232 trees planted, a full bag of pods collected and the track around the clip transformed. From gorse clogged, all-but-impassable mess it’s now a well cleared highway, with Graeme showing world class pole saw skills. Huge effort from all concerned, including Colin, and as Lois rightly said ’not for the faint hearted’. BBQs, sandwiches, group photos, selfies, track walks and the obligatory plastic-dominated beach clean, all under a cloudless sky, made for a wonderful end to the day. In contrast to the stressful departure in the morning, we all got back to pier Z in good time, safe and sound.
Photos Lois Badham
Saturday 23rd August - Kakabeak Volunteer Day
We were able to visit each of the kakabeak sites and carry out the maintenance work on our list at each location - we thought it was a huge task when we were preparing for the day, but somehow you all managed to make it happen! Thank you.
The nursery team worked hard to prick out a mammoth 504 Scandia and 13 Plume Grass for planting next year.
And the dotterel team observed 13 dotterels on the beaches, including a juvenile that was tagged as a fledgeling last summer. It's a great start to the season - last year we trialled chicken wire covers over the nests which seems to have helped more chicks to fledge, so we are hoping to continue this good work over the coming summer.
The nursery team worked hard to prick out a mammoth 504 Scandia and 13 Plume Grass for planting next year.
And the dotterel team observed 13 dotterels on the beaches, including a juvenile that was tagged as a fledgeling last summer. It's a great start to the season - last year we trialled chicken wire covers over the nests which seems to have helped more chicks to fledge, so we are hoping to continue this good work over the coming summer.
Photo John Laurence
Photo Lois Badham
Thursday 28th August - Midweek Weeding
A small hardworking team headed to the island to work on multiple projects. We managed to collect a good number of mothplant pods from the southern end of the island, just in the nick of time before they burst. And two of the Japanese honeysuckle sites were treated to stop this new invasive weed from spreading to other parts of the island.
It was great to see the cross on Patrick Finnicane's grave installed after many postponements - thanks to Fiona and Brian for their commitment to this project, and to Paul and Seana for helping. In the nursery a good number of kanuka were pricked out by Denise and Barbara. And our new toilet is starting to take shape - thanks Chris, Ian, David, Stuart and everyone else who has contributed
Saturday 30th August - Auckland University Students Trip
We hosted an enthusiastic and hardworking group of international students from Auckland University. We were lucky with the weather, and managed to plant 145 trees and make it back to the woolshed for lunch before the rain started.
The sun shone again, so the keen ones could have a swim or view wildlife on the Tieke track, before the Red Boat collected us for our journey home. Some changeable weather meant spectacular rainbows to be seen off the back of the boat.
We do appreciate the work the students contribute twice a year on these trips, and it helps to spread the word about our project and our beautiful country worldwide!
The sun shone again, so the keen ones could have a swim or view wildlife on the Tieke track, before the Red Boat collected us for our journey home. Some changeable weather meant spectacular rainbows to be seen off the back of the boat.
We do appreciate the work the students contribute twice a year on these trips, and it helps to spread the word about our project and our beautiful country worldwide!
Photo Lois Badham
Follow this link if you would like to become involved as an individual volunteer or corporate volunteer or email info@motuihe.org.nz https://www.motuihe.org.nz/get-involved/
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