Research

HealthPost have been providing access to health products via their website since the 1980s, and improving their ethical and sustainable approach over the years.  They are now the leading supplier of ethical and sustainable health products in New Zealand. Not only that, but they supported many charities along the way over several years with donations of over $1,000,000, including the West Coast Penguin Trust.  They provided a generous donation to help build our penguin protection fence north of Punakaiki in 2014. Now they are focussed on bigger conservation projects through their HealthPost Nature Trust and a massive and ambitious nature restoration project at Farewell Spit.

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Enviroschools is a nationwide programme supported by Toimata Foundation, founding partner Te Mauri Tau, and a large network of regional partners. Early childhood centres and schools commit to a long-term sustainability journey, where tamariki/students connect with and explore the environment, then plan, design and take action in their local places in collaboration with their communities. We are fortunate to be able to use key structures from the Enviroschools programme in our education programme and we join forces with Enviroschools - coordinators and schools - where we can for even greater environmental education outcomes. The Trust is also working with Enviroschools Coordinator for the West Coast, Zoe Watson, to establish a network of environmental educators in the region.

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"Our value"

"A great journey is easy, safe and connected. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is focused on providing one integrated land transport system that helps people get the most out of life and supports business. "We look after the national transport system with our partners, today and for the future. We’re innovating to make sure the system is efficient and sustainable, unlocking opportunity and keeping New Zealand moving. "We’re working to deliver our customer promise – great journeys to keep New Zealand moving."   Waka Kotahi NZTA recognised the risk posed to drivers on the Coast Road (state highway 6) at night, where penguins on the road could cause drivers to swerve off the road.  Their focus on safety fitted with the Trust's aim to protect penguins and keep them off the road and the Trust was hugely grateful for the agency's support managing the safety of the fence construction project.  Waka kotahi NZTA continue to support the penguin protection fence through an annual amount allocated to fence maintenance and used for this purpose by Westport based road contractor, WestReef.

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The West Coast Penguin Trust is thrilled to have support from the ANZ Staff Foundation.  A grant in 2019 was followed with another in 2021, both supporting our growing education programme. Read about the ANZ Staff Foundation and their support here. And read about and watch the wonderful little film that ANZ made about our work here. 

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Westland Dairy Company - formerly Westland Milk Products, based in Hokitika. Westland. A place, a people, a brand and a spirit. It is this naturally determined, adaptive spirit that enables our customers to find their edge, to nourish life through our products we have made beautifully for generations. Westland Dairy Company have supported the Trust to print wildlife awareness signs for beach access points across the region and have been at pains to ensure penguins are protected at and around the pipeline drilling project site on the north edge of Hokitika. The Trust's relationship with Westland continues to grow. https://www.westland.co.nz/en/company/purpose-and-values/

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The West Coast Community Trust manages its investments and apply income by way of grants for charitable, cultural, philanthropic, recreational and other purposes in Buller, Grey and Westland. The Trust has been fortunate to receive grants for its education and its awareness programmes.

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The Community Grants Fund was set up to support the work of community groups and volunteer organisations who are providing community and social projects and services within the Buller district. The West Coast Penguin Trust has been fortunate to receive a grant from this fund to support us to deliver our penguin conservation education programme to Buller schools.

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We know next to nothing about tawaki’s marine ecology, their foraging ranges, which prey species they consume and at which water depths they forage. Critical information is missing to assess how human activities might impact on tawaki, be it ongoing climate change, fisheries activities or pollution of the marine habitat with mining effluents or oil-leaks. This project will address the key aspects of tawaki’s marine ecology throughout the range from South Westland to Stewart Island. We will:

• examine their foraging strategies across the different marine environments they inhabit
• study the spatial distribution of their diving activities to determine whether there are specific hot spots at sea
• investigate which marine and terrestrial aspects affect the species’ population dynamics

We also collaborate with the West Coast Penguin Trust to further knowledge and conservation management for tawaki through our collaboration as The Tawaki Coalition.

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The Sargood Bequest is a charitable trust founded in 1939 by Sir Percy Sargood of the firm Sargood Son & Ewen.  Sargood Bequest actively supports community groups and individuals within New Zealand. The purpose of the fund is to make grants to projects and activities in the Children & Youth, Cultural, Sports & Outdoors, Educational and Environmental categories with a focus on Access, Participation and Inspiration.  The majority of grants made by Sargood Bequest are under $5000. The Trustees favour projects to which funds are specifically targeted.  From time to time the trust also makes larger grants or pledges over a number of years at the discretion of the trustees. The Trust has been fortunate to have been awarded grants principally for our Education work, but also for the Community Conservation Symposium.

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Lottery Environment and Heritage provides grants for plans, reports and one-off projects that will protect, conserve and promote New Zealand’s natural, cultural and physical heritage. The Trust has received two grants for two major projects, namely developing an education resource (2015) and presenting the Community Conservation Symposium (2018).

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In 100 years Taronga has evolved from a location of entertainment to a mature conservation and education hub.  Taronga has a clear vision to secure a shared future for wildlife and people. The West Coast Penguin Trust forged a relationship ship with Taronga Zoo via Wellington Zoo.  Taronga is the only place in the world to keep Fiordland crested penguin (tawaki) in human care, and is the home of Gari, found on a West Coast beach within a few weeks of fledging and with major bite wounds inflicted at sea, probably by a barracuda.  Gari was treated and cared for at Wellington Zoo, before being farewelled to Taronga and their purpose-built enclosure and two other tawaki. We're hugely grateful to Tarongo Zoo who have sponsored our tawaki predator research project.

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The Department of Conservation has been the main sponsor of the Trust since its inception and continues to support our work with grants, advice and encouragement. We're very fortunate to work with such a passionate group of people throughout the West Coast region.

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Wellington Zoo is New Zealand’s first Zoo and Wellington’s oldest conservation organisation, caring for animals since 1906.  The Zoo is a not for profit charitable trust, and has been that way since 2003.  The Trust runs the Zoo on behalf of Wellington City Council. They are proud to be the world’s first carboNZero certified zoo and they became the first zoo to win the Environmental Sustainability Award at the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). The zoo follows the WAZA commitments to excellence in animal welfare and conservation. They are also part of the Zoo and Aquarium Association - a regional organisation for zoos in the Australasian region.  ZAA manages the coordination of breeding programmes and sets the level of professional standards and practice for members.  They are proud to have been accredited under their Animal Welfare standards. The West Coast Penguin Trust is hugely proud to be a Conservation Partner, sharing an interest in improving the conservation management of Fiordland crested penguins.

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