Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

Pest eradication and biodiversity recovery on 117 offshore islands is one of New Zealand’s greatest biodiversity success stories [ ] 168 Biodiversity recovery on offshore islands In the mid-20th century, a push back against the impact of invasive species began, focusing particularly on the nation’s smaller, offshore islands where remnants of biodiversity lost on the main islands had often man- aged to survive. New Zealand has since become a centre of excellence for eradicating invasive mammals from offshore islands, with this suc- cess being the genesis of indigenous species recovery activities throughout the whole country. The country’s 117 pest-free islands have become lifeboats for species recovery. New Zealand has attracted interna- tional recognition for its island pest eradication efforts, which directly support the achievement of a number of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, as well as the vision and objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversi- ty. Target pests have been eradicated (Aichi Target 9) and areas of particu- lar importance for biodiversity have been conserved (Aichi Target 11). Ecosystems have flourished, natural habitats have been protected (Aichi Target 5), and rare endemic species have been brought back from the brink of extinction (Aichi Target 12). Pest eradication efforts have been informed by both scientific research and local knowledge (Aichi Targets 19 and 18). Publicity around the eradication work, as well as ongoing controlled public access, has helped raise public awareness of the value of biodiversity both domestically and among the many international tour- ists who visit these islands every year (Aichi Target 1). Biodiversity monitoring on New Zealand’s pest free islands has been carried out for many decades, pro- ducing a wealth of knowledge about the ways in which ecosystems recover and function in the absence of pest species. Improvements in biodiversity on offshore islands are well-docu- mented, providing models for other nations to adopt. The benefits to biodiversity that accrue justify on- going investment in eradication and restoration programmes. Many of New Zealand’s offshore islands are classified as protected areas. The pest eradication expertise built up over decades of experience is now highly sought after and the DOC and allied specialist operators have worked on many other islands, from the North Sea to the Indian Ocean and across the Pacific, to help other nations tackle their invasive pest problems. Staff frequently work in collaboration with land owners and local iwi (akin to ‘tribes’ in Māori), hapū (sub-tribal descent groupings) and whānau (extended families) to carry out pest eradication projects. An example of this is “Project Island Song” which aims to restore birdlife to a group of islands in the eastern Bay of Islands through pest eradica- tion. The project is led by the Guard- ians of the Bay of Islands, resident subtribes in the area, and the DOC. N ew Zealand is an island nation that was originally covered in ancient forests full of birds, invertebrates and lizards, but with no terrestrial mammals, apart from bats. When the first people arrived about 800 years ago, they brought Pacific rats and dogs with them, starting a process of destruction of the country’s wildlife and forests in which many species became extinct or threatened. The country has developed a reputation as the world leader in offshore island pest eradication and biodiversity restoration programmes, primarily through its Department of Conservation (DOC), which is responsible for managing a network of public conservation lands (protected areas) across the country. Juvenile rowi translocating back to Okarito Forest Grant Maslow New Zealand