BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM

New Zealand is taking on one of its most ambitious conservation efforts yet: rewilding three ecologically significant islands by eliminating invasive species. The project, part of the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC), will focus on Maukahuka (Auckland) Island, Rakiura (Stewart) Island, and Chatham Island.

With their inclusion, the IOCC has 20 active projects worldwide, all working toward a shared goal—restoring 40 key island-ocean ecosystems by 2030.

“New Zealand’s three IOCC island restoration projects will be the largest and most challenging our country has ever attempted,” said Stephen Horn, the national eradication manager for the Department of Conservation (DOC). “Each island in the new initiative is four to 15 times larger than the biggest island in the country that has been previously cleared of invasives.”

The stakes are high, but so are the rewards. Removing invasive species could mean the return of native birds, healthier marine ecosystems, and a stronger natural defense against climate change.

Three islands, one conservation mission

Each of the selected islands holds ecological significance and faces unique challenges.

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  Maukahuka (Auckland) Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to more than 500 native plant and animal species, including the endangered Gibson’s albatross, New Zealand sea lion, and hoiho penguin. However, invasive mice, feral cats, and pigs have wiped out 32 native bird species, making eradication efforts crucial.

• Rakiura (Stewart Island) is the country’s third-largest island and a key habitat for the tokoeka (brown kiwi). Conservationists plan to reintroduce the critically endangered kākāpō once invasive rats, possums, hedgehogs, and feral cats are removed.

• Chatham Island is home to more than 300 threatened or at-risk species, many of which are struggling to survive amid an explosion of possums, rats, and feral cats.

The restoration of these islands would be a major victory for New Zealand’s biodiversity and serve as a model for future large-scale conservation efforts.

High-tech conservation: The tools of the trade

This project is not just about setting traps and hoping for the best. It will rely on cutting-edge technology to track and remove invasive species efficiently.

“Eradication experts will continue to sweep the island with conservation dogs, camera monitoring networks, tracking tunnels, and traps over years before declaring the island free of pests,” said Horn.

Artificial intelligence and trail cameras will also be used to identify pest hotspots, making eradication efforts more precise and effective.

More than just conservation: Restoring nature’s balance

The initiative, spearheaded by Island Conservation, Re:wild, and UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, brings together the New Zealand government, local conservation groups, and Māori and Moriori Indigenous communities. This collaboration reflects a broader mission: not just removing invasive species, but restoring an ancient ecosystem and ensuring a sustainable future.

According to Island Conservation, clearing invasive species from islands has profound ripple effects. Research shows that islands free from non-native predators have 50 percent more fish biomass in surrounding waters and can recover four times faster from coral bleaching events. Additionally, the return of seabirds to these ecosystems helps spread nutrients between land and sea, strengthening the entire habitat.

The price of rewilding

Restoring these islands is no small task—nor is it a cheap one. The New Zealand government has committed $54 million toward the initiative, but the total cost is expected to reach $202 million. Fundraising efforts, led by the New Zealand Nature Fund, are underway to bridge the gap.

Despite the financial and logistical challenges, conservationists remain optimistic. If successful, these efforts will mark one of the largest rewilding projects in New Zealand’s history, offering a model for island restoration worldwide.

As Horn put it, “Their scale, remoteness from the mainland, difficult terrain, wild weather, multiple animal pest species, and the presence of human settlements for two of the three islands pose unique challenges.” But for the sake of New Zealand’s wildlife, these challenges are worth overcoming.