SOKK Website

Environment, Conservation and Outdoor Education Trust

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  • Home
  • The SOKK Project
    • Monitoring and health checks: How it’s done
    • Predator trapping: Our major targets
    • The kiwi crèche at Opouahi
    • Biodiversity in the kiwi crèche
  • Stories
  • Our whanau
    • Our volunteers
    • Our sponsors
    • Our trustees
    • Our history
  • Education
    • SOKK as a classroom of the outdoors
    • Kiwi talks at the crèche
  • Facts and figures
    • Trapline catches – latest
  • USEFUL LINKS
    • Maungaharuru Tangitū Trust (MTT)
    • Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay
    • Guthrie-Smith Education Centre
    • Forest Lifeforce Restoration Trust
    • Manaaki Ruahine Facebook
    • Mauri Oho
    • Ruahine Whio Protectors
    • Save the Kiwi
    • Te Ngahere Facebook
    • DoC
  • Contact us

The kiwi crèche at Opouahi

Lake Opouahi and the predator-proof fence

ECOED established a kiwi crèche in 2008. It’s a 40-hectare, pest-free area surrounded by a 3.3km pest-proof fence.

Pan Pac Forest Products Ltd sponsors the maintenance of the crèche and the pest-proof fence. Kiwi chicks are taken from the wild and brought to this safe haven to grow until they are deemed able to defend themselves against a stoat attack.

The crèche is open to anyone at all times; no appointment is necessary. However, if you’re interested in attending a ‘kiwi talk’ by arrangement, please enquire here

Getting to the kiwi crèche

The kiwi crèche is situated at Lake Opouahi Scenic Reserve, 9km inland from Tutira off the Napier to Wairoa highway (SH2).

​Allow 1 hour 15 minutes to drive from Napier to the crèche

  • Travel along State Highway 2 (SH2) towards Wairoa
  • Turn left at Tutira Store (Matahorua Rd), and left again at Pohokura Rd (unsealed)
  • The crèche is on the right at Lake Opouahi Scenic Reserve, 3.5 km along Pohokura Road

Stories

Oji the kiwi gets it right first try

On Saturday 21 March, ECOED kiwi manager Deb and volunteers Rebecca and Kathy went into the Kaweka Forest Park to find Oji’s nest, where they were … Read More

Many hands make light work (especially when it comes to replacing traps!)

Recently ECOED was approached by Peter from Tony’s Tyre & Auto Care, Napier, offering help for the Save Our Kaweka Kiwi project as part of his … Read More

Routine field trip ends with unexpected chick find

The following story is by Kahori Nakagawa, DOC Biodiversity Supervisor.It all started with a routine field trip—just the three of us out … Read More

Sometimes you get the carrot, sometimes you get the stick

Two of our most recent kiwi adventures ended up having quite different endings with one group finding a ‘bonus’ kiwi and the other, a kiwi so well … Read More

Kōhanga kiwi from Cape Sanctuary released into Kawekas

On Monday 31 March, six kiwi from Cape Sanctuary were released into the Kaweka Forest Park as part of Save the Kiwi’s Kōhanga programme.We … Read More

About us

The Environment, Conservation and Outdoor Education Trust (ECOED) was established in 2002 to halt the decline of North Island brown kiwi in the Kaweka Forest Park. At that time, the estimated kiwi population was about 200. In response to the crisis, ECOED initiated the Save the Kiwi Hawke’s Bay Project, which is now known as Save Our Kaweka Kiwi, or SOKK.

Our goal is to restore a healthy population of kiwi in the forest park.

Do you want to help?

From marketing and fundraising to trapping and kiwi monitoring, we'll be able to find a way for you to help.

Get Involved

Email: [email protected]
Lake Opouahi, Hawke’s Bay

Major sponsors

MAJOR SPONSORS

HB Foundation

Copyright © 2026 · ECOED is a registered charitable entity in terms of the Charities Act 2005. · Registration No. CC27154 · Website by D2 ·