Three leading Otago Peninsula organisations — Te Rūnaka o Ōtākou, Otago Peninsula Trust, and Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group, are collaborating on the project.
The project aims to establish a multi-generational plan to enhance the biodiversity of the peninsula, and improve the lives of peninsula residents.
The initial concept was outlined in the high-level 2024 report "Towards a Sustainable Otago Peninsula Community".
The report covered the geography, history, people, and land use on the peninsula, and also looked at wildlife, ecosystem protection, buildings, infrastructure, food, health, education and lifestyle — all through a sustainability lens.
The report has been distributed widely to Otago Peninsula communities, along with a survey asking locals’ opinions on a broad range of topics.
The survey asks what people enjoy about living on the peninsula, the biggest threats to the environment, as well as attitudes to pest species, trapping, restoration and more.
The survey will be followed up with a series of community meetings in February and March.
The development of the project in these initial stages is being led by Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group (OPBG) chairman Hoani Langsbury, who has been delighted with the response to the survey so far.
From the perspective OPBG, now was the ideal time for the community to consider what the next steps should be to create a sustainable long-term future for the peninsula.
Over the past 15 years, the OPBG had virtually eradicated possums from the Otago Peninsula through the efforts of dedicated volunteers who had trapped 25,000 possums.
Only a handful of scattered possums remained at large on the peninsula, meaning they were "functionally extinct" in the area, Mr Langsbury said.
"Having achieved this milestone, we felt that it was time to take a look at the wider situation on the peninsula, and to ask the community for their ideas on the way forward.
"There are still plenty of pests to choose from, including rabbits, mustelids [stoats/weasels/ferrets], rodents, and pest plant species.
"So we are asking the people what their priorities are."
Otago Peninsula Trust chairman Ross Smith said the organisation, which had been operating for 57 years, also believed that now was a good time for the project.
"We want to help facilitate bringing the community together in any way we can," Mr Smith said.
"To remove predators and regenerate the peninsula will take time, but it will be worth it for the people who live here and love it, and who want to see more birds and wildlife.
"And such a project could also help to create employment, education and training on the peninsula."
Quoting Te Rūnaka o Ōtākou upoko Edward Ellison, Mr Smith said an important measure of success would be "when kereru are nesting on Ōtākou Marae".
Mr Langsbury said further pest eradication would be only one aspect of reforesting and enhancing biodiversity on the peninsula, along with improving people’s lives.
"This could be a long-term project, probably over 100-200 years, with the main focus on what the community wants to do — they will be driving this," Mr Langsbury said.
"The bottom line is, Otago Peninsula is the wildlife capital of New Zealand and we want to ensure that continues into the future."
Interested people who have not received a report or survey, or who would like to volunteer to help with the process, are asked to contact the OPBG operations manager by email at operations@opbg.nz
Meetings schedule:
A series of community meetings will be held in February and March to discuss the Toward a Sustainable Otago Peninsula Community report and survey feedback.
Feb 17: Tainui School, 7.30pm-9pm
Feb 18: Macandrew Bay School, 7.30pm-9pm
Feb 19: Andersons Bay School, 7.30pm-9pm
Feb 20: Ōtākou Marae (Wharekai), 7.30pm-9pm
Feb 24: St Brigid’s School, 7.30pm-9pm
Feb 25: Grants Braes School, 7.30pm-9pm
Feb 26: Musselburgh School, 7.30pm-9pm
Mar 10: Tomahawk (Grants Braes AFC clubrooms), 7.30pm-9pm
Mar 11: Tahuna Normal Intermediate, 7.30pm-9pm
Mar 12: Portobello School, 7.30pm-9pm
Mar 17: Pukehiki Hall, 7.30pm-9pm
Mar 18: Broad Bay School, 7.30pm-9pm
Mar 19: Bayfield High School, 7.30pm-9pm
