Episodes

  • 31 - England's most Influential Rewilding Project; what can New Zealand learn from Knepp Estate?

    31 - England's most Influential Rewilding Project; what can New Zealand learn from Knepp Estate?
    Jan 8 2026
    How does rewilding in the UK compare with rewilding in Aotearoa? Join me, Maureen Howard, during my visit to Knepp Estate in Sussex in the south of England to visit one of the UK’s leading rewilding projects. Once an intensive farm: it is now a haven for rare species. Many thanks to my guest Matt Phelps, Knepp Estate’s Lead Ecologist (knepp.co.uk/rewilding) and to Wild Dunedin for sponsoring this episode (wilddunedin.nz). This episode contains the sounds of bill clattering by white storks at Knepp Estate: recorded by Hazel Reeves, XC921196 and accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/921196. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - http://oar.org.nz
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    27 mins
  • 30 - Beavering in the Blue Mountains with Check Dams

    30 - Beavering in the Blue Mountains with Check Dams
    Dec 11 2025
    The Blue Mountain Swamps of NSW need water. However much of the water that flows into them now comes via stormwater pipes. To help protect and restore the wetlands, the council and community groups are creating leaky check dams that, together with other tools, can help restore a catchment. Join me in the Blue Mountains as I find out what a check dam is from my guest James Bevan and how much fun it is to make one! Many thanks to Wild Dunedin for supporting this episode This modified recording of Superb Lyrebird by Elisabeth Hein, XC817874 is accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/817874
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    27 mins
  • 29 - Pests and Planting: Part Two with Hugh Wilson from Hinewai Reserve

    29 - Pests and Planting: Part Two with Hugh Wilson from Hinewai Reserve
    Nov 27 2025
    The team at Hinewai Reserve look after about 1650ha of land close to Akaraoa on Banks Peninsula: 4% of which is old growth forest with the rest already naturally regenerated or regenerating to native bush. Join me, Maureen Howard, for the second part of this chat with botanist Dr Hugh Wilson, manager at Hinewai Reserve. We continue our chat about Minimum Interference Management – this time about pest animals, where planting is worthwhile and the pros and cons of volunteers. The first part of this interview can be found at at # 28 – A Way With Weeds. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - http://oar.org.nz
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    25 mins
  • 28 - A Way with Weeds: Rewilding on Hinewai Reserve

    28 - A Way with Weeds: Rewilding on Hinewai Reserve
    Nov 13 2025
    Botanist Dr Hugh Wilson from Hinewai Reserve on Banks Peninsula is arguably Aotearoa’s father of Rewilding. Hugh is best known for showing us that gorse can be an effective nursery plant for native forest to naturally regenerate through. But this episode isn’t about gorse – instead I talk to Hugh about what he and his team are doing with all the other weeds on Hinewai Reserve. This episode of Rewilding in Action is supported by the Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust. For more information about their projects and news go to www.roddonaldtrust.co.nz This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - http://oar.org.nz
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    27 mins
  • 27 - TO FRILL OR FELL, Replacing an exotic plantation with native forest

    27 - TO FRILL OR FELL, Replacing an exotic plantation with native forest
    Oct 30 2025
    Sometimes, a very effective nursery species for natural native forest regeneration is an exotic dead plantation! In this episode I rejoin Bob Webster and Carol Jensen above Little River on Banks Peninsula to find out about the technique of frilling and how they used it to tackle three dense macrocarpa plantations with the help of some running mates. What is frilling? And how and why does it work? Listen in to find out! This episode of Rewilding in Action is kindly supported by the Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust. For more information go to www.roddonaldtrust.co.nz This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - http://oar.org.nz
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    26 mins
  • 26 - Rewilding in Later Life

    26 - Rewilding in Later Life
    Oct 16 2025
    Would you love to buy land to rewild back to native forest but don’t think you’ll be able to afford it until you’re close to retirement? In this episode I visit the Banks Peninsula property of my guests Bob Webster and Carol Jensen who purchased land when in their 60s. Listen in to find out about the benefits of good monitoring, registering for carbon credits, and the fascinating role of old tree stumps and road margins for natural regeneration. This episode of Rewilding in Action is supported by the Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust. For more information go to www.roddonaldtrust.co.nz This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - http://oar.org.nz
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    27 mins
  • 25 - Woody Weed or Nursery Plant?

    25 - Woody Weed or Nursery Plant?
    Oct 2 2025
    Exotic woody weeds such as sycamore can lead to the permanent replacement of a native ecosystem with a exotic one. Sometimes however, woody weeds can act as a nursery species for natives to grow through. Under what conditions does this happen? And with what exotic species? My guest weed ecologist Dr Kate McAlpine shares her research and knowledge about natural native forest regeneration through woody weeds. This episode of Rewilding in Action is supported by the Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust. For more information go to www.roddonaldtrust.co.nz This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - http://oar.org.nz
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    26 mins
  • 24 - The Moa - Impacts of missing keystone species

    24 - The Moa - Impacts of missing keystone species
    Sep 18 2025
    24 - Nine species of moa, giant flightless birds, once dominated every part of New Zealand. What effect did their rapid extinction just 500-600 years ago have and how is their loss still affecting rewilding ecosystems today? And - can we really bring them back? Join me, Maureen Howard to find out, as I chat with my guest Quinn Berentson, author of The Moa: The Life and Death of New Zealand’s Legendary Bird. This episode of Rewilding in Action is supported by Bin Inn Dunedin. For more information go to www.bininn.co.nz. This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - http://oar.org.nz
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    27 mins