Our volunteers are a group of people with a passion for Pureora and it's Biodiversity.  

We are working with local DOC staff to increase the predator control in the Pikiariki area of Pureora Forest Park. This work helps to protect remnant native forest and native wildlife including pekapeka/short-tailed bats, long-tailed bats, toutouwai/North Island robin, dactylanthus, and titipounamu/rifleman. 

Our Aims

Protect and enhance New Zealand's only functioning short-tailed bats -> Dactylanthus ecosystem

Short-tailed bats/pekapeka are the only known native pollinator of dactylanthus/Te Pua o te Rēinga, and Pikiariki is the only known place where a functioning relationship between short-tailed bats and dactylanthus remains.  Dactylanthus nectar provides an important food source for short-tailed bats, and in return the bats pollinate the dactylanthus, which has created the healthiest known dactylanthus population in the country.

By protecting the short-tailed bats we are also building resilience in the dactylanthus population.

Grow the population of long-tailed bats

Long-tailed bats/pekapeka are critically threatened and at Pikiariki, face the same threat from predators as short-tailed bats.  

Enable the forest ecosystem to thrive

Pikiariki is one of the best examples of dense podocarp forest in NZ, with its complex, multi-layered forest structure including towering rimu, kahikatea, matai and totara.  High vegetative diversity is reflected in high fauna diversity, with native birds including kākā, kākāriki/yellow-crowned parakeet, karearea/falcon, kereru, koekoeā/long-tailed cuckoo, korimako/bellbird, kotare/kingfisher, miromiro/tomtit, pīpīwharauroa/shining cuckoo, pīwakawaka/fantail, riroriro/grey warbler, ruru/morepork, tauhou/silvereye, titi pounamu/rifleman, toutouwai/North Is robin and tūī. 

Threats come from introduced predators and browsers. 

Educate people about the natural world of Pikiariki

Pikiariki offers people so much and is a great place to learn about our native species and ecosystems.   

Learn more about the biodiversity at Pikiariki and how to protect it

The accessibility of Pikiariki along with its unique species assemblage offers an amazing opportunity for researchers to contribute to learning about our native biodiversity.