The vision for the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary is to return the large forested site on Nelson’s doorstep (c700ha) to its natural state, as it would have been before people introduced predators that devastated the wildlife.
For over a century the preservation of New Zealand’s most endangered species has relied on predator-free island sanctuaries. As a result, few of us have been fortunate enough to see our rarest fauna in their natural state, if at all. More recently the concept of accessible ‘mainland island’ sanctuaries – protected by predator-proof fences rather than the sea – has been developed.
Imagine being able to walk from the city into a forest close to that of original New Zealand, a land of birds, reptiles and giant insects under an evergreen canopy from tiny mosses to towering trees. Every footstep causes a rustle as a lizard runs for cover or a weka arrives to investigate you, while fantails and robins dart on the insects you disturb. The chorus of bellbirds and tui is drowned on occasions by the noisy passing of large flocks of kaka and parakeets.
Bringing this vision to reality will take a lot of time and effort, and there is scope for input at many levels. We hope you will use this book to find out more about the sanctuary – includes information about the ongoing project, history of the area, and existing flora and fauna. There are colour photographs on most pages and don’t miss the information on how you can get involved.
Published by Nikau Press 2008
Soft cover, 32 pages, 21 x 15cm.