Volunteers have been the backbone of SIRCET through the years, from its trustees to its rat trappers and everyone in between!
Our annual reporting has recorded over 35,000 hours of work that have been completed by hundreds of volunteers in SIRCET’s history! It is likely this is an underestimate of the amazing efforts of both local and visiting volunteers alike. We are hugely grateful to everyone who has shaped and grown our work since 2002.
What does volunteering look like?
SIRCET aims to control threats to the forest and bird life around the township in Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island. The biggest threats to Stewart Island wildlife are introduced mammals such as rats and possums. Therefore SIRCET’s primary activity is pest control. The main volunteer tasks are rat and possum trapping, and track trimming. Other tasks become available depending on the time of year, such as plant nursery work, weeding, planting, trap-making and repairs, and bird-monitoring.
Our volunteers include local residents responsible for their own rat line which is checked weekly (including the children of our local Halfmoon Bay School), our trustees, and visiting groups. Visitors to the island are welcome to get in touch to see if there are public work days to get involved with- we are not currently able to take full-time visiting volunteers.
We have work available for all age groups and fitness levels so please contact us if you have questions. All volunteer contributions are greatly appreciated!
Want to know more?
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