Boating New Zealand — December 2017

66 Boating New Zealand

BC’s conservation programme, says CEO

Brian Hood, began in the early 2000s when

members pooled skills, resources and good,

old-fashioned elbow grease to help with the

rehabilitation of Motuihe Island.

“The concept of us helping the

Department of Conservation (DoC) with Motuihe’s

rehabilitation was first mooted by one of our members –

John Laurence – a chap I’d describe as a sort of visionary

environmentalist. A classic doer with unbridled enthusiasm

and energy. As a boating club with plenty of vessels, we

not only had access to a relatively remote island, but also

manpower.

“Specifically, our members volunteered – under DoC’s

guidance – to help with clearing the island of weeds and setting

traps to eradicate predators such as rats and stoats. And once this

was completed, the focus shifted to introducing thousands of

native trees. Not only fund-raising to buy the trees, but also the

actual, physical planting.

“Our members organised mini-armadas to carry all the

O

WORDS BY

LAWRENCE SCHÄFFLER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

SHAUN LEE

feature

Island rehab