A necessary evil
There are too few people like Joyce and Johan, people who see the bigger conservation picture and are devoted to making a difference.
I feel privileged to have been able to spend time with them on the Wairaurahiri River and their passion for Fiordland and New Zealand's threatened wildlife is inspiring and infectious.
Sadly, wildlife conservation in New Zealand is a brutal and pretty well black and white business with a simple focus on killing things. Possums, rats and stoats in particular are the enemies of native species and the equation is simple: fewer stoats = more birds. It isn't a pleasant job but it is absolutely essential.
To support their efforts, we have sponsored some of our own traps as you can see. Furthermore, we now arrange trips down the river for our clients on a zero profit basis so that each jet boat trip can help to fund more traps.
Joyce and Johan
