Conservation week is over for 2024, but the treasure is still out there! If you are looking for a fun activity leading into summer and beyond, this could be just the ticket for both young and old. No better reason to spend some time outdoors.

‘Jewels of Aotea’, is a project created for the Aotea community and island visitors to record the native and endemic species they see. Part citizen science and part education, this project aims to connect people with nature and showcase the incredible taonga species that call Aotea home.

In particular, species like korimako (bellbird), kākāriki and pekapeka (long-tailed bat) are species that are either visitors or present in small pockets on the island but are not known to be widely spread.

Long term, the observations from this project could help to map species re-establishment and dispersal across the motu and provide valuable guidance for conservation and restoration projects. GIS-based ecosystem tools are increasingly used to protect and enhance biodiversity, and now you can be part of it.

Nature treasure hunts are a fun learning activity for young and old, as they create a sense of adventure while building knowledge and helping people engage with the environment in their own backyard.