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Make it happen...
Vision & Restoration on land
Bringing the vision into classrooms
Art supporting conservation
Looking after what's beneath the reflections
With such a large area the conservation task doesn’t just fall on the Department Of Conservation but is avidly supported by the community and businesses operating here.
Overall the Tamatea/Dusky Sound restoration plan has been developed by DOC with the ambitious goals of eradicating pests, re-introducing missing species and filling biodiversity information gaps in the area. The project area includes Breaksea Sound, Acheron Passage, Wet Jacket Arm, and Dusky Sound itself, including over 700 islands, including New Zealand’s fifth largest island, Resolution Island.
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Book onto one of our Conservation Adventures - your fare will go towards the project and you'll have the chance to be part of monitoring, maintenance, installation or relocations as part of the adventure.
Make a donation via the New Zealand Nature Fund, to pay for traps and equipment. The foundation as well as ourselves will keep you in the picture about where the funds are going.
Purchase a single trap or one of the traplines directly through our store to push the project further. We'll let you know where and when it is set and how it is doing on the way to relocations.
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To be part of the overall vision Pure Salt has initiated a project to remove rats from Indian Island/Mamaku in Dusky Sound in order to protect vulnerable native species on the Island as well as to reduce the risk of rats swimming to nearby rat-free Islands.
Our goal is reduce the rat population to undetectable levels to enable future translocations of native species and play our part in the overall restoration.
The work is being done using a grid network of GoodNature A24 self re-setting traps on an approximate 100 x 100/50 grid as well as a further 100 double set Snap traps and 20 DOC200 traps across the island. Over 17km of tracklines are cut and a network of over 300 traps put in place and maintained - dropping rat tracking from 30% to 1.6%!
Trackingtunnels, motion cameras as well as newly installed CHIRPS are used to monitor predator numbers and the installation of a buffer zone on Long Island is underway to prevent reinvasion down the line.
Beyond that is the establishment of stoatlines on Long Island to further protect Resolution as well as Anchor Island. This work is already underway and a predator control network on Long Island as a whole on the horizon. One step at a time even the seemingly impossible becomes reality.
I - Project start..
26th - 30th of October 2018
100% of the fares paid by clients went towards the project.
This trip was highly successful and we installed 40 Goodnature A24 traps and 6 rat monitoring lines, so that the team can gather data and track the progress of the project.
II - Christmas track cutting..
27th - 31st of December 2018
A group of 12 volunteers was working towards cutting the remaining tracks on Indian Island / Mamaku so we're ready to install the next batch of traps. A great effort completing the full marking and cutting of 2/3 of the tracks on the island with the remainder marked out ready to be cut.
III - four monthly check..
7th - 9th of February 2019
Volunteers set the tracking tunnels and rebaited the existing network of A24 traps whilst we continued to cut the remaining tracks, install a donated motion camera as well as 60 further traps!!! So 50% of the traps are on the ground within 5 month of the project start. Thank you!
IV - Conservation Adventure..
12th - 16th of June 2019
All proceeds went towards purchasing traps for Indian Island / Mamaku and part of the adventure will be dedicated to the 2nd four monthly check of the existing network as well as the 6 monitoring lines, the cutting of the remaining tracks and of course the installation of more A24s.
V - Conservation Adventure..
23rd - 27th of October 2019
All proceeds went towards purchasing traps for Indian Island / Mamaku and part of the adventure was dedicated to the 3rd four monthly check of the existing network as well as the 6 monitoring lines.. Motion camera featured two kiwis!
As well as the work start on adjacent 2,000ha LONG ISLAND to protect Mamaku Indian as well as Resolution Island from further rat and stoat invasions.
VI - four monthly check..
6th - 8th of February 2020
Volunteers set the tracking tunnels and rebait the existing network of A24 traps as well as installed 12 motion cameras to not just track predators but also what we look to protect. Rat tracking sits at 30%.
VII -Conservation Adventure
7th - 11th of June 2020
All proceeds went towards purchasing traps for Indian Island / Mamaku and part of the adventure was dedicated to the 5th four monthly check of the existing network as well as the 6 monitoring lines, 12 cameras (all but two featured kiwi) and the newly installed CHIRPS as well as of course the installation of further A24s on Long Island. Background tracking of rats drops to 5% - the threshold for translocations!
VIII-Conservation Adventure
6th - 10th of October 2020
All went towards purchasing traps for Indian Island / Mamaku as well as Long Island and part of the adventure was be dedicated to the 6th four monthly check of the existing network as well as the 6 monitoring lines and 12 cameras as well as the cutting of the western most stoat tracks on Long Island and of course the installation of further A24s. Rat tracking drops to 3% and the western stoatline on Long Island is populated with DOC200 thanks to a Greer Clayton painting selling and Te Anau Helicopter Services donating fly time!!
/puresalt/Indian_A24_traps_final_topo_numbered-g6f1c.jpg "Indian A24 traps final topo numbered")
VIIII-Four monthly Rebait.. and a little extra
17th - 19th of February 2021
On the back of a stint by High Country Contracting volunteers cutting on Long Island and Chris and Chris pre rebaiting Mamaku Indian Island with eraze in early January.. Volunteers including Stan and his intrepid adventurers rebaited Indian Island / Mamaku as well as Long Island as well as the 6 monitoring lines and 12 cameras whilst also connecting up the western most stoat tracks on Long Island. AND Rat tracking drops to 1.6% with only one tunnel tracking out of 60 and cameras and traps are telling the same story.
X -Conservation Adventure
1st - 5th of June 2021
All proceeds went towards purchasing traps for Indian Island / Mamaku and part of the adventure was dedicated to the four monthly check of the existing network as well as the 6 monitoring lines, 12 cameras (all but two featured kiwi) and the newly installed CHIRPS as well as of course the installation of further A24s on Long Island. Background tracking of rats remained at 1.6% - the threshold for translocations! AND a further 60 DOC200 trap boxes were flown onto Long Island by Te Anau Helicopter Services free of charge and layed out by wonderful humans volunteering their time and energy!
XI -Conservation Adventure
17th - 21st of October 2021
All proceeds went towards purchasing traps for Indian Island / Mamaku and part of the adventure was dedicated to the four monthly check of the existing network as well as the 6 monitoring lines, 12 cameras (all but two still featured kiwi) as well as of course the installation of further A24s on Long Island. Background tracking of rats drops to 0%!!! AND a further 100 double set snap trap boxes were placed on the NW corner of Mamaku/Indian to increase the buffer for invasions.
XII -Conservation Adventure
3rd - 8th of January 2022 as extra..
All proceeds went towards purchasing traps for Indian Island / Mamaku and part of the adventure was dedicated to an extra check of the existing network as well as the 6 monitoring lines, 12 cameras (all but one still featured kiwi) as well as of course the installation of further A24s on Long Island. Besides that we managed to run extra track maintenance as well as some extra trap checks for the network on Mauikatau/Resolution Island.
XIII-Conservation Adventure
9th - 11th of February 2022
A full boat load of volunteers was dedicated to a check the existing network as well as the 6 monitoring lines, 12 cameras (all but one still featured kiwi) Background tracking still sits at 0%!!!!!
XIV -Conservation Adventure
4th - 8th of June 2022
All proceeds went towards purchasing traps for Indian Island / Mamaku and part of the adventure was dedicated to the four monthly check of the existing network as well as the 6 monitoring lines, 12 cameras (all but two featured kiwi) and background tracking of rats was 1.6% - still well below the 5% threshold for translocations! We caught very few individuals and the tracking card results were confirmed by the camera footage which has tipped from rats and a few birds when we started to birds and the occasional rat now!!!
XV -Conservation Adventure
14th - 18th of October 2022
All proceeds went towards purchasing traps for Indian Island / Mamaku and part of the adventure was dedicated to the four monthly check of the existing network as well as the 6 monitoring lines, 12 cameras (all but two featured kiwi) and background tracking of rats was 0% !!!
XVI -Conservation Adventure
3rd - 5th of February 2023
The whole vessel full of keen volunteers serviced Mamaku/Indian and Long Island as well as Pickersgill Harbour! Rat tracking was 3.3% which is still under the magical 5% mark with robins everywhere and returnees remarking on how loud the bush has gotten.. We noted ongoing deer sign and still kiwi infront of all but two cameras.
AND a pig infront of one of the cameras which is very unexpected. DOC sent in three dogs and hunters in September following our discovery but found only pig sign without the actual pig.
XVII -Conservation Adventure
7th - 11th of October 2023
The 'clients' were wonderful humans going just as hard as the volunteers onboard. Everyone talking about robins and kakariki everywhere tawaki/yellow crested pengins were safely getting into their breeding season. Rat tracking was at 5% with three out of 60 cards tracking which made us think about putting an extra check in over spring.. We noted ongoing deer sign and still kiwi infront of all but two cameras with no sign of the Pig.
creating a
Virtual Fieldtrip into Tamatea Dusky Sound
We are excited to work with LearNZ and Department of Conservation to bring the Tamatea Dusky Sound Restoration Project into New Zealand classrooms to inspire kids to look after what they call home.
Our vision is for Tamatea/Dusky Sound to be one of the most intact ecosystems on Earth, and New Zealand's largest ‘bio bank’ – a source of endangered native species that can be sent to pest free locations throughout the country.
It's a big vision and it will need the next generation to be just as passionate about it than we are..
We also ran a #CONSERVATIONHEROES2020 competition for two kids and their guardians to join us onboard for this special fieldtrip.
Expedition Fiordland - Putting the ECO into ecosystem
Term 3 | 14th - 19th of September 2020
Learn more..
Learn more..
We've committed to TamateaART to nurture a strong connection between art and conservation in Tamatea Dusky Sound.
This ongoing project allows artists join us onboard Flightless to connect with the place in order to create pieces of art helping to look after TAMATEA Dusky Sound. The resulting artwork can be purchased on the TamateaART site with proceeds going towards conservation work right where the work was conceived...
Tim Wilson, Gerda Leenards, Jo Ogier, Greer Clayton, Linda James and Tim Li have already joined us so have a look at Fiordland through their eyes...
Have a look at TamateaART
/puresalt/Tamatea_-_Dusky_Sound_by_Jo_Ogier_-_Mixed_Media_-_2020_-_1100mm_x_725mm_Web-u3731.jpg "Tamatea Dusky Sound by Jo Ogier Mixed Media 2020 1100mm x 725mm Web")
An ecosystem restoration involves the entire system.. above as well as below the water.
We noticed rubbish on the seafloor in bays we anchor and play around and have been picking up bits and pieces where we could... we know about the ongoing battle to eradicate Undaria which is threatening Fiordlands marine ecosystem and know there are other biosecurity threats on their way... so we keep a clean vessel pass, avoid effected areas and clean client gear... we've noticed a decline in the fishery and are only catching for the table whilst advocating for full utilisation...
However we feel that that is no longer enough and decided to start an annual TamateaBLUE adventure.. focusing on underwater cleanups, as well as raise awareness and action around biosecurity and the need to think about sustainable fisheries even in such a seemingly abundant and wild place as Fiordland.
The pilot adventure was run in November 2019 in conjunction with GhostDiving NZ and with the support of the Fiordland Marine Guardians, LegaSEA as well as wonderful volunteers. We removed around 2t of rubbish from just one little bay in Tamatea Dusky Sound in only two days.
Now TamateaBLUE is an annual event to look after everything beneath the surface of Fiordland waters.
Make a difference and become a MAD - June/July every year.
Underwater cleanup
Sustainable fishery
Biosecurity
2024.. Dates to be announced soon
Join us onboard Flightless to help us restore Tamatea and with that one of the 'last frontiers'. We have space for 4 volunteers at $2000pp to cover helicopter transfers, fuel and food for the four days onboard. Get in touch to find out how to make it happen.
Get in touch
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The Department of Conservation runs programmes to protect and restore our species, places and heritage, and provides opportunities for people to engage with these treasures.
Conservation efforts also extend to the water ways surrounding the Fiordland National Park, commercial access to which is managed by Environment Southland.
The New Zealand Nature Funds primary role facilitates opportunities for individuals and businesses to contribute towards conserving New Zealand's natural heritage — its landscapes and the native plants and animals that live among them.
The Fiordland Marine Guardians have the vision that the quality of Fiordland's marine environment and fisheries, including the wider fishery experience, be maintained or improved for future generations to use and enjoy.
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LegaSea is a not for profit organisation and was established by the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council in 2012 to elevate public awareness of the issues that affect recreational fishers. The support funds advocacy, alignment, education and research.
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Fish Mainland's purpose is to coordinate, represent and promote recreational fishers' interests in restoring and sustaining fisheries resources to maximise their fishing experiences and opportunities. Its vision is a healthy and abundant marine environment in which recreational fishers have an equitable share of available fisheries resources and are respected partners in management decisions.
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Thanks to Sean, Maria & Toni, and the crew of Flightless Anna, Brad, Courteney, Ines, Chris & Chris, Ingrid, Pete and Bill, Lindsay Wilson, Rusty the ledged himself, Sam the Trapman, Ron Bull Jn for being who you are, FEZ.. thank you for being part of this and capturing our journey! You’re a star. Chris Van Ryn for sharing our story with Life&Leisure Magazine, Craig, Grant, Max and Roger Hornblow for being our first paying Tamatea clients and helping us prove that the concept can work.. Juliane, Allun, Richie and Sam, Sue and Dave, Auntie Sandy, Rebecca.. our chainsaw heros Geoff, Chris, Hamish, Peter, Sam, Mike and Don,... Jacky Renouf for donating the first of 12 motion cameras, James Wellwood, Jane Jeffries, Quentin Reeves and Nick Terpstra for donating a further 4 cameras and of course DOC staff for their enthusiasm and support of the project. Thank you to Tim Wilson, Josh Emett and Fleur Sullivan for giving your passion for the project, Peta Carey for wonderful story telling, Sara Tuck for sharing her experience in DISH magizine and Hayden Parsons for capturing the magic.. we can’t wait to see what else we can do! A massive thank you to a group of legendary kiwi boys who were so taken by the place and the project that they donated $30,000 towards the remaining traps on Indian Island as well as a further 7 motion cameras which means we could turn our attention to neighboring LONG ISLAND sooner than planned! Another big thank you to the SHICK group for spending part of their full charter clearing tracks on Long Island and helping push the project further. And of course, thank you Otago Polytechnic for donating and adopting 30 traps for Long Island! Big ups to Lane Plastics for donating more than 6km of track markers. Thanks to Sam Latham, Tony Preston, Darren Peters and Pete McMurtrie from DOC for supporting us all the way, Michael and Robbie from GoodNature and Gerard from Edge Effect for project support, work on the island and being on the end of the phone for just those 'quick questions'.. you're awesome.. Artists Tim Wilson, Jo Ogier, Gerda Lenard, Greer Clayton, Linda James and Tim Li for sharing your beautiful view of Tamatea.. for giving your art and yourselves to help us push further! Supporting Companies.. Te Anau Helicopter Services for supporting one helicopter changeover each year, Meister Solutions&Engineering, High Country Contracting and Sheetmetal Craft for sponsoring and building 50 DOC200s to go onto the western stoatline for Long Island, thank you ManaCommunications for your pro bono work helping us share the vision through NZ media, Nooks&Crannies for sharing our story, thank you to LEARNZ, Shelley and Pikihuia for spreading the vision to NZ classrooms and the Ministry of Education for partfunding the adventure, Aahliya and Yeshaya for joining us onboard and the rest of the kids for inspiring us as well as prompting GoodNature to sponsor a trap for each of your entries completing a full LEARNZ line on Long Island, Thanks to Pure Salt clients for not just funding part of the project by buying a trap, donating funds or coming on a Conservation Adventure but also helping with the work on the ground and of course good times along the way.
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