EcoTourism Home > Eco Tours > New zealand > Glenfern sanctuary
Website:
www.glenfern.org.nz
Contact email:
info@glenfern.org.nz
Telephone:
64 9 4290 091
Fax:
64 9 4290 492
Address:
Glenfern Road,
Port FitzRoy,
Great Barrier Island
New Zealand.
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Glenfern Sanctuary offers a rare opportunity to experience native wildlife on Great Barrier Island. The rare black petrel and brown teal duck are breeding here, as well as many other native animals and plants. The Sanctuary covers an area of around 150 acres in the north of the island at Port FitzRoy and is the result of over 9 years hard work.
Over 8,000 native trees have been planted and there is an extensive track network. A swing bridge enables visitors to climb into the crown of a 600 year old kauri tree. Ongoing rat and cat eradication provides a safe habitat for many native species including the black petrel, brown teal and chevron skink.
1. Continue to reforest a valley ecosystem with a wide variety of native plants endemic to New Zealand and Great Barrier Island, propagated from seeds and seedlings on the island.
2. Control pests (rats and cats) on the property and provide a sanctuary where native flora and fauna can survive and prosper.
3. Continue to extend the interpretive botanical walkway within the valley to illustrate every native tree and plant existing on Great Barrier Island.
4. Educate children and others about native plants and their impact on the environment and survival of native species.
5. Raise endangered species within the Sanctuary.
As custodians of the largest offshore island of New Zealand it behooves us all to follow the example set by a few pathfinders to help turn the tide on the reducing numbers of our native wildlife.
The state of the environment at the turn of the millennium recorded that Great Barrier Island was still free of the imported predators, possum, stoat, ferret, weasel, deer, Norway rat and hedgehog that have devastated mainland native wildlife.
While legislation has been enacted to protect this status it is hoped that further efforts will be made by the Territorial Local Authorities and the Department of Conservation to eradicate or at least control the remaining predators.