- 20-foot container transformed to highlight importance of predator management
- Save the Kiwi activation operates rain or shine at Fieldays
Helping kiwi to thrive
With 1.7 million hectares of plantation forest, New Zealand has a vast habitat for kiwi to live in.
However, keeping kiwi safe, and allowing them to thrive in these areas, requires forestry owners and managers to have a programme in place to control predators.
With support from Royal Wolf, Save the Kiwi created an activation inside a 20-foot container at Fieldays to help raise awareness about the importance of predator management.
Ross Halpin, from Save the Kiwi, says Fieldays is the largest agricultural event in the Southern Hemisphere making it a key forum for building strong relationships with the forestry sector.
“The container enabled us to create a space that evokes the forest environment and kiwi habitat while highlighting the positive impact people can have by implementing predator management.”
Inside the container, key predator management facts were displayed alongside detailed information about successfully managing kiwi in forestry areas.
From forestry, to farming, to bees
While forestry was the focus for Save the Kiwi at Fieldays the same predator management principles also apply for farmers and apiary (beehive) operators.
“Kiwi are a great indicator species,” says Mr Halpin. “If they thrive in an environment, then nearly all biodiversity will thrive and often the prospect of bringing kiwi back into an area is a great motivator to encourage good biodiversity measures.”
