South Otago Forest & Bird set up what will be the inaugural exhibition at Te Pou Ō Mata-Au Clutha District War Memorial and Community Centre in Balclutha yesterday.
South Otago Forest & Bird co-chairwoman Jane Young said the group hoped the exhibition, entitled "Humans in the Catlins, the Environmental Impact", would capture the imaginations both of locals, and of visitors on their way to the popular southern beauty spot this summer.
"The Catlins is a wonderful place, but since humans arrived, a lot of damage has been done, and continues to be done.
"The exhibition gives historical and present-day context for those environmental impacts, and also shows what groups like Forest & Bird and other volunteers are doing to take steps towards a better future for wildlife in the Catlins."
She said the continued decline of one of the area’s greatest natural attractions — hoiho, or yellow-eyed penguins — was a good example of the potentially destructive human impacts.
"Hoiho at Long Point and elsewhere are threatened by food shortages, diseases, introduced predators, direct human intervention through things like dog-walking and driving on beaches and ocean heating."
However, good work was also being done elsewhere, she said.
"The exhibition also focuses on what’s being done and can be done to combat some of these negative impacts, and that’s illustrated by the amazing work being done at the Tautuku Restoration Project."
She hoped interest in the exhibition space would also draw visitors in.
"This is such a wonderful space, and we’re very excited to be the first to exhibit here at Te Pou Ō Mata-Au."
Access to the centre and exhibition was free of charge.
The exhibition would run until January 19, but could be extended, subject to interest, Mrs Young said.
