J. S. Watson Trust Funds Benefit Conservation Initiatives

Forest and Bird, Issue 303, 1 February 2002, Page 42

J. S. Watson Trust Funds Benefit Conservation Initiatives

Conservation Manager

—ERIC PYLE,

Congratulations to the eight applicants who have had funding for their projects approved by the selection committee of the J.S. Watson Conservation Trust, administered by Forest and Bird. Since its establishment in 1986, the Trust has played an important part in facilitating conservation projects beneficial to New Zealand’s endangered plants and wildlife. The funded projects for 20012002 are: e Rod Brown, Shade House Project, Kerikeri. Local volunteers intend to produce native trees and shrubs for habitat restoration on public conservation land, support community planting initiatives, provide pohutukawa for Project Crimson and propagate threatened or locally rare species. e David Clark, The effect of restoration plantings on the development of invertebrate communities on Tiritiri Matangi Island. This project aims to look at the success of Tiritiri Matangi in terms of increases in invertebrate diversity and abundance. The success of restoration on Tiritiri Matangi regarding birds is well known, but success in terms of invertebrates needs to be better understood, particularly given invertebrates’ key importance for ecosystem processes and as a food source for some birds. Lessons learned are likely to be applicable to other island restoration projects and possibly mainland restoration projects too. e Judy Gilbert, Little Windy Hill, Great Barrier Island. The establishment of an ecological monitoring programme to support the pest-eradication programme at Little Windy Hill. e Peter Speck, Benthorn Farm

pest management project, Great Barrier Island. The objective is to eradicate as far as practical all pest species on Benthorn Farm, Great Barrier Island, to create a ‘mainland island’ sanctuary for native species. e Craig Carson, Forest and Bird Southland Branch. Purchase nativeplant labels for tracks on covenanted properties which are open to the public (six sites). This project aims to increase awareness and knowledge of Southland’s native plants, by enhancing the educational and conservation experience of people, by labelling trees in six native forest areas in Southland to which the public has access. e Charlotte Hardy, The study of the ‘edge effect’ on arthropod communities in Rodney District forest fragment. Fragmentation of native habitats, and resulting increases in the lineal edges of forests, is a real issue in many parts of New Zealand. This study will look at the impacts of edge effects on invertebrates, focusing on arthropod groups (beetles, moths, plant herbivores). e Delia Small, Survival and productivity of the North Island robin translocated from Kapiti Island into the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. Delia aims to determine the success or otherwise of translocating North Island robins from offshore islands to mainland islands by monitoring their dispersal, settlement, productivity and survival. e Forest and Bird, Wellington Branch. Natural Wellington — ‘Restoring the cloak of Tane'. This project aims to restore the diversity of plant and tree species to sites around Wellington city. Seeds will be sourced from existing local native remnants.