Project Island Song

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Project Island Song

Project Island Song is an open wildlife sanctuary on the islands of Ipipiri, in the eastern Bay of Islands. www.projectislandsong.co.nz

26/05/2026

Come and plant trees with us! Our annual planting day is coming up fast, on Sunday 7th June.

We'll be planting around 500 native trees at Urupukapuka Bay, and we still have some space for volunteers if you'd like to join us. The planting day is family-friendly, lots of fun, and free boat transport is provided. You're also welcome to travel out on your own boat and meet us on the island.

Find all the info and sign up through the link below!

12/05/2026

We were delighted to take the awesome kids from Oromahoe School out to Moturua last week. And we share their thanks for the epic kitset rat traps that Kerikeri Mens Shed put together for us and our local schools!

11/05/2026

For the second year in a row, we were delighted to be joined recently by staff from ANZ Aotearoa Northland for their annual volunteer day.

The team once again got straight to work helping us to tackle the invasive moth plant, collecting a staggering 898 seed pods for bagging and removal from Mangahawea Bay on Moturua!

Some good hard mahi, lots of laughs, and an awesome outcome in our community! If you'd like to get your team out volunteering on the islands then just get in touch.

07/05/2026

Huge thanks to OutFit North and their amazing members, for raising an incredible $2000 for Project Island Song last month!

Active April is their campaign to encourage their members to get outside, be active, and reset some good habits that might have slipped to improve their wellbeing.

Around 60 of their members participated, with one doing 50 pull-ups every day for the month, a team joining together to run a combined 200km, and one member doing 2000 push ups across April.

Thank you to all these awesome people, and to Outfit North for choosing to support our mahi!

30/04/2026

In well-deserved recognition of his dedication and community spirit, our Chair William Fuller was awarded the King’s Service Medal (KSM) in the New Years Honours for 2026. On 14 April, he was presented with his medal by the Governor General in a ceremony at Government House in Auckland.

William (known to many as Mr Fuller) has consistently given his time and energy to initiatives that strengthen the Russell/Kororāreka community. Through his roles as Principal of Russell School, Chair of Guardians of the Bay of Islands/Project Island Song, and his involvement with the Bay of Islands Walkways Trust, Te Araroa Trust, and Russell Landcare, his impact has been both meaningful and enduring.

William is a valued member of the Project and the wider Bay of Islands community. We are incredibly proud to see his mahi recognised. Congratulations, William – you are an inspiration to us all.

17/04/2026

We are beginning a new series to celebrate the many fantastic businesses that have chosen to become members of Project Island Song.

Our first member to feature is Carino Wildlife Cruises, a small, family-owned marine tourism conservation business based in Paihia. We asked them to tell us what the Project means to their business:

"Joining Project Island Song was a natural fit, as their work restoring island ecosystems directly supports the wildlife and habitats we rely on. Becoming a member allows us to actively contribute to meaningful conservation outcomes, not just observe them. It also gives us the opportunity to share these stories with our guests.

Beyond our membership, the Carino team actively supports Project Island Song through hands-on conservation efforts. We regularly carry out beach clean ups on the islands and contribute to informal bird monitoring by recording sightings during our visits.

Being part of Project Island Song strengthens our connection to the environment we operate in and enhances the quality of the experiences we offer. Healthy ecosystems mean richer wildlife encounters for our guests and a more meaningful story to share. Ultimately, it ensures the long-term protection of the natural environment that our business depends on."

Read the full piece on our blog post, linked below.

15/04/2026

Moth plant season is in full swing around Northland, and this year Northland Regional Council is running a competition with cash prizes for the person or team who removes the most seed pods and vines.

As one of our most problematic weeds, we're getting stuck into the moth plant problems on the islands, with more than 1,000 seed pods (each containing up to 1,000 wind-dispersed seeds) already collected, logged, and disposed of.

The competition runs until 15th May so you still have plenty of time to get involved. Check the link in the comments to sign up!

12/04/2026

After a fair hiatus, we're delighted to share that Project Island Song merch is back!

You can now order a range of classic Project Island Song designs across t-shirts, hoodies, hats, kids' gear, and more, through our refreshed merchandise store.

Our branded merch is a great way to show your love for our native wildlife everywhere you go, with every purchase contributing to our work.

Find the link to our merch store in the comments below!

09/04/2026

March saw our biggest month of pest detection work in the year, with our monthly rodent checks supplemented by dogs trained to discover plague skinks, Argentine ants, and mustelids.

Since their handlers were pleased to report no finds, this March also marked over a year since the last pest incursion - the longest period without an incursion since the islands became pest-free in 2009.

This is testament to the extensive pest control on the adjacent mainland, as well as the efforts of our whole community in practicing good biosecurity when visiting the islands.

While this is a great milestone, it is inevitable that pest incursions will occur again, so it is vital that we remain vigilant in delivering our pest surveillance programme through these invaluable pest detection dogs, as well as traps and tracking tunnels. As visitors to the islands, you can do your bit by remembering to Give your Gear the All-Clear before heading out there.

07/04/2026

Thanks to everyone for supporting the Project through your calendar purchases this year, with special thanks owed to Darren Markin for donating his beautiful photos again, and all our fantastic vendors for supporting its sale.

We've got a few calendars left, which we've now made available at half price - just $10 - through our website. If you haven't got around to getting yours yet, or you'd like to buy another as a gift, please help us to find these last few a good home!

Address

The Strand
Russell
0202

Website

http://www.projectislandsong.co.nz/

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