Canopy Tour Restores Forest

 New Zealand's Roturua Canopy Tour has a dream to create a native wildlife sanctuary – returning rare birds, creating safe breeding conditions and restoring the eco system to a pre human one.

Opened in 2012 the company now has 10% of the 500 hectare forest is under total control from introduced predators, over 550 traps and 10 km of trapping lines has removed the rats, mice, possums, stoats and ferrets that were raiding the nests of native birds.

The results are incredible with bird populations flourishing, the canopy now a lush magnificent green and new growth continuing unabated. The forest has embraced it’s opportunity to recover. An opportunity provided in large by the Canopy Tour and it's patrons.

Substantial conservation support from visitors through donations and trap sponsorships has raised $16,000 and Rotorua Canopy Tours ticket contibutions has raised $35,000. This has allowed for 1000 traps to be set in the forest over the past 15 months eradicating three tonnes of pests in total.

Department of Conservation (DOC) Rotorua partnerships manager Helen Neale says the regeneration of the forest is really exciting and is a great example of how a business and DOC can work together to make a difference. DOC provides conservation advice and Rotorua Canopy Tours manages all the pest control themselves.

Source:http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1410/S00596/native-forest-transforms-with-rare-bird-presence.htm

Nice work James et al. - exemplary!