Conservation

Native Forest Restoration and Planting

At the time of European settlement, the Otago Peninsula was largely forested. Clearance for farming from the mid-1800s reduced indigenous forest cover across the Peninsula to approximately 5%. The Hereweka Harbour Cone property currently retains just over 14% indigenous woody vegetation, which is above the Peninsula average, concentrated on steep and rocky terrain.

Revegetation of the Stewarts Creek catchment began as early as 2007. Since 2009, three significant areas of forest that appear never to have been cleared have been fenced from stock. These are on Peggy’s Hill above Highcliff Road, the upper section of Stewarts Creek, and Rutherford’s Bush.

The Smiths Creek Catchment Revegetation Project commenced in 2012, led by STOP (Save the Otago Peninsula) under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Trust. The first tributary was fenced in 2014, followed by the area between the creek and Highcliff Road in 2016, with the second tributary being fenced in 2022. Species are selected using locally sourced seed stock suited to specific landforms and habitats. The project plants approximately 1,000 trees per year, each labelled with the planting year, the donor’s name where applicable, and a tracking number for survival monitoring.

Individual trees can be donated in someone's name, and planting a grove to mark a significant birthday or life event is a popular option. New citizens to Aotearoa are invited to plant on the Citizenship Slope, with the GPS location of their tree recorded and provided to them.

Pest Plant Control

Priority weed species include sycamore, Chilean flame creeper, banana passionfruit, hawthorn, elder, Darwin's barberry, gorse, broom, and blackberry. The pest plant control programme aims to eradicate the highest-priority species and reduce others to levels that do not threaten indigenous biodiversity.

The Trust has greatly reduced hawthorn, elder, and Darwin’s barberry from three bush remnants. Banana passionfruit remains a serious threat and is widespread on the Peninsula. In 2026, the Trust increased eradication efforts for this invasive vine. Chilean flame creeper is particularly difficult to control. The use of a drone has proved effective in locating the bright red flowers of new infestations, which can then be eradicated. The Trust undertakes regular monitoring to ensure that any invasions of pest species from neighbouring properties are controlled.

Predator Control

Introduced predatory mammals, including rats, mice, stoats, possums, and feral cats, are the primary threat to native bird nesting success. The Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group (OPBG) initiated a local possum control programme beginning in 2011, with the Peninsula declared possum-free in March 2026. Predator control is aligned with the national Predator Free 2025 vision, co-funded by the New Zealand government, the Dunedin City Council, and various corporate sponsors. The results are measurable: the volume and variety of birdlife at Hereweka have grown considerably over the years.

Threatened Species

Several nationally and locally important species are present on the property or targeted for reintroduction. Management priorities include maintaining at-risk populations, facilitating natural colonisation as habitat quality improves, and considering species translocations subject to appropriate approvals and iwi consultation.

The potential reintroduction of buff weka to the property is supported by Ōtākou Rūnaka, who have advocated for this as a culturally significant restoration priority.