The Ashley Rakahuri Rivercare Group has produced a documentary film about braided river birds.

Rakahuri Recovery, Saving the Birds of the Ashley-Rakahuri River

The Ashley Rakahuri Rivercare Group are dedicated to reverse the decline in numbers of the unique birds that breed and live on the braided Ashley River. Their volunteers build, install, and check predator traps, monitor bird populations annually, undertake field research, support graduate student research, and trial programmes to enhance habitats through weed clearing and island formation.

The most important of these birds are the wrybill, the black-fronted tern and the black-billed gull. Threats to these birds include predators (such as stoats and hedgehogs), human disturbance, and perhaps most importantly the encroachment of weeds on their nesting habitat. The Ashley/Rakahuri Rivercare Group (ARRG – www.arrg.org.nz) has been protecting these endangered birds since 1999.

In 2018 the group produced a professionally made documentary film to educate the public about braided river birds, their plight, and to illustrate the measures we are taking to protect them. This film will be introduced by the chairman of the group and members will be on hand to answer questions.

Waimakariri Libraries will screen their film Rakahuri Recovery, Saving the Birds of the Ashley-Rakahuri River, on

24 October, 5.30-7pm at the Kaiapoi Library.

Register at any Waimakariri Library.