A long-term partnership
The Southern Lakes Sanctuary is a not-for-profit partnership between citizens, government, private sector organisations, and iwi that is a long-term commitment by all. In addition to the consortium of six local conservation groups that formed the Southern Lakes Sanctuary Trust (see ‘Who we are‘), project partners include Ngai Tahu (Ropu Araiteru, Kaitiaki Roopu o Murihiku), Department of Conservation (DOC), Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), Otago Regional Council (ORC), Lake Hawea Station, Rees Valley Station, Glenorchy Community Association, Cardrona Ski Resorts, The Nature Conservancy, OSPRI, and Central Lakes Trust.
Predators have no regard for who owns the land they roam. The co-operation of all land owners is central to the success of the Sanctuary, whether that land be Crown-owned, pastoral lease, freehold land, National Park or even an urban back yard. For this reason we are particularly fortunate to have strong relationships with DOC, high country farmers, and the hundreds of households represented by the founding groups Wānaka Backyard Trapping and Whakatipu Wildlife Trust.
The Southern Lakes Sanctuary will restore natural taonga such as Threatened and At-Risk species, and enhance the mana of the forests and rivers in which they occur, so it is consistent with concepts of Kaitiakitanga.
Because the areas included in the project lie entirely within the rohe of Ngāi Tahu, Southern Lakes Sanctuary is working closely with Ngāi Tahu whanui and welcomes their involvement in the overall governance and management of the project. Existing predator control programmes on public conservation land have been fully endorsed by Ropu Araiteru and Kaitiaki Roopu o Murihiku, the formal iwi liaison groups in Otago and Murihiku/Southland. Because the western part of the project area is a takiwa boundary for Murihiku and also for Makaawhio—the runaka of South Westland—Makaawhio will also be formally consulted.