It’s easy to take our red-billed gulls tarāpunga for granted or to see them as a nuisance. But we’d miss them if they weren’t around - and so would our coastal ecosystems. On Sept 9th, I came to end of the Otago Peninsula to visit the tarāpunga colony, and to meet my guest Hoani Langsbury. Through the lens of Mātauranga Māori or Māori Knowledge, Hoani explains why Cook’s Scurvy grass is rewilding here – thanks to the gull colony and the ticks that likely build up in the soil beneath the colony. This episode of Rewilding in Action is sponsored by the Otago Peninsula Trust. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - http://oar.org.nz

Self-sown kanuka is restoring the biggest area of diverse native forest on Ōtepoti Dunedin’s Otago Peninsula. How does kanuka get established? Why is its growth and canopy so effective? How is kanuka helping tītīpounamu rifleman, our tiniest endemic bird? This is the second episode in a two part series about natural regeneration of native forest on Peter Cooke and Anna Moore’s property at Hereweka. In this episode I’m with my guests Peter Cooke and his long time friend Shanta McPherson to discuss the merits of kanuka-led regeneration. This episode is sponsored by the Otago Peninsula Trust. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - http://oar.org.nz

For this inaugural episode of Rewilding in Action I travelled to Hereweka on the Otago Peninsula to hear the Rewilding Story of my guests Peter Cooke and Anna Moore. Replacing land infested by blackberry, diverse native forest has returned naturally through self-sown kanuka, a native tree species. By letting nature lead and giving it a hand only when it was needed, Peter and Anna saved their 200+ year old rimu trees. Together with their neighbours, they now share the largest area of native forest on the Peninsula. Thanks to the Otago Peninsula Trust for sponsoring this episode. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - http://oar.org.nz

Join environmental educator and facilitator Maureen Howard as she visits with local champions and enthusiasts in the movement to increase biodiversity by restoring natural processes and allowing nature to lead the way. Learn about their hands-on work, and explore the thinking behind nature-led regeneration. Follow the podcast and more on the Rewilding in Action Facebook page