In 2003 Mike Lee was a founding trustee of Birdsafe, along with Julia Meek and Tony Agar.
They were initially involved in setting up an organisation, called the Waiheke Dotterel Guardians, and were later joined by Andy Spence, as a trustee, and supported by Dan Beauchamp. Both were Park Rangers at Whakanewa Regional Park, Waiheke at the time.
The common objective was to protect the Dotterels – a endangered native shorebird that lives and breeds at Whakanewha and other Waiheke beaches. Found only in this country, it was once widespread and common but there are now only 1700 birds left. Their serious decline in numbers is due to habitat loss, disturbance during breeding and predication by introduced mammals.
We quote Julia Meek’s history of the Dotterel Guardians & Birdsafe
“It eventually became clear that it was not sufficient just to do pest control around the beach area during the breeding season.
Pest control was needed in the surrounding hinterland all year around. Otherwise the pest creatures were there ready to pounce when seasonally-breeding birds produced their offspring.
That was the start of our sister organisation Waiheke Landcare and Pest Management Trust, commonly known as Birdsafe.
One of it’s main activities has been to buy rat bait and bait stations and sell them to the public at not much more than cost… heaps cheaper than what can be found in retail stores. “
We are still quietly providing this service, and more, 15 years later.
Check out what we do and buy some rat bait today!