Conservation efforts
LT: What kind of numbers were you seeing before the project began?
Garth: In 2008, there were only about 25 birds counted in a formal survey. Ten years after we started, that number was close to 240. These days, I’d say we’re sitting somewhere north of 300.
LT: What role has trapping played in that success?
Garth: It's been key. Predation was the real issue — rats, stoats, possums. We started with 178 DOC 200 traps, but we’ve evolved since then. Newer traps like Goodnature’s A24s and now even electric AT220 traps make things more efficient and cost-effective.
LT: Can you explain how these new traps work?
Garth: The A24s are gas-powered and self-resetting — much less maintenance than the old ones. The electric ones we’re using now can target multiple species and even dispense fresh bait daily. That means better results with less effort.
LT: Is the presence of whio a reflection of river health?
Garth: Absolutely. If a river’s polluted, there won’t be the insect life that whio feed on. So when you see a healthy blue duck population, it means the river’s doing well too!
Community and partnerships
LT: How important has the local community been in all this?
Garth: Huge. We’ve had traps built by prisoners at Tongariro Prison, and a work party from the prison helps check around 350 traps. Retired locals check others. And visitors on our tours even help out — it’s all hands on deck.
LT: What about landowners and other stakeholders?
Garth: We’ve got agreements with landowners and a community agreement with DOC. What’s cool is that others have seen the success and now want to be part of it. Genesis Energy is picking up work we started, and iwi like Iwi o Tāne are doing possum control along the riverbanks.
LT: What’s been the most surprising outcome?
Garth: Honestly? How many people weren’t initially interested. Some thought this kind of work should be left to the government. But DOC doesn’t have the ongoing funding. So we just quietly got on with it — and now it’s making a real difference.
LT: How many traps are you running now?
Garth: We started with around 170. Now we’ve got over 800 traps stretched across 35 kilometres of traplines. It’s a massive increase.
Tourism forcus
LT: Tell us about the Blue Duck rafting experience.
Garth: It’s a three-hour trip down the grade 3 whitewater stretch. We stop to look for whio, often spotting 20 or more. We check traps, explain the project — it’s more than just rafting, it’s connection.
LT: What sort of response do you get from guests?
Garth: People love it. They’re amazed that a simple, local project can have such a big impact. They like getting hands-on and feeling like their holiday helped something.
LT: How does tourism support conservation?
Garth: Tourism gives us another way to fund and share the story. When people understand the why, they often want to support the what. That’s where change starts.
Spring and legacy
LT: What does spring mean for the river and the whio?
Garth: Spring brings longer days, warmer weather, and little bundles of fluff — blue duck chicks on the river. It’s the best time to see them, really. Everything feels alive.
LT: Does the river itself change in spring?
Garth: Not so much in flow, because of the hydro scheme, but the energy shifts. It feels more vibrant, more alive. And that lifts everything — people included.
LT: What’s your hope for the future?
Garth: We’d love to see 50 breeding pairs of whio in the catchment. That would make it nationally significant. But more than anything, I just want the next generation to keep going. Conservation doesn’t end. You stop trapping, the predators come back. You’ve got to stay on it.
