News & Events
Next Trust supporters meeting
10am, Friday, 15 June, Grey District Council.
All are welcome
Penguin t-shirts for sale
 Mens t-shirt |
 Womens t-shirt |
The Trust has t-shirts for sale in all sizes – $25
2011 census photos
 Scouts Arnie Gibbons and Fern Davis survey blue penguins at Hokitika Beach |
 Jude Moss at Thomas Creek Carters Beach |
 Scouts Brooke & Krista Noble and their grandad Peter Cudmore at Hokitika Beach |
 Robyn at Ruatapa |
Hokitika beach penguin habitat restoration project
Plan to bring blue penguins back to Hokitika beach
The West Coast Blue Penguin Trust and Hokitika Scouts are restoring penguin nesting habitat on Hokitika Beach.
The project aims to restore penguin habitat on a 150 metre section of beach-front legal road north of the Revell Street carpark. It has the support of the Westland District Council.
Many locals who regularly walk the beach have noticed penguin footprints in this area, between the beach and the dunes, especially in the early morning.
In 2010 the West Coast Blue Penguin Trust carried out its annual census. The Hokitika Scouts found a blue penguin colony at the north end of Hokitika beach.
The planting will take place between two areas where penguins are already nesting in limited patches of coastal scrub including blackberry and gorse.
“The blackberry and gorse seems to be giving them some protection from dogs so we won’t remove that. Essentially we’re filling in a gap behind the areas,” says West Coast Blue Penguin Trust’s Karen Mayhew.
What we will do is enhance the area by planting flax, various Coprosma, mahoe and cabbage trees – it will improve the area for both humans and penguins,” she says.
The Hokitika Scouts will help with planting and locals are asked to contact the Blue Penguin Trust if they would like to be involved.
West Roads have donated flax that has been removed from another Westland locality. This will be planted in phase one and the West Coast Blue Penguin Trust is looking for funding to continue the planting. It is hoped penguin nesting boxes can also be added to the area after the plants and soil structure has become established, probably after three years.
Newsletters
West Coast Blue Penguin Trust December 2010 Newsletter
West Coast Blue Penguin Trust Advisory Board
The next meeting of the Advisory Board is 10am Friday 16 March at Karamea.
Please click here to donate: |
