In January 2022 Gerry le Roux’s wife Wouna started work as trapper for the Southern Ruahine Kiwi Habitat Restoration Project. Since part of his job involves teaching night classes he has some flexibility during the day, Gerry has taken the opportunity to join Wouna and the team ground-truthing and carrying traps up the mountain and helping distribute traps along new traplines. This is an incredibly hard task that involves hours of strenuous work, but for a very important outcome.

The Southern Ruahine Kiwi Habitat Restoration Project is a collaboration between Manawatū River Source to Sea and Te Kauru Eastern Manawatū River Hapū Collective.  The project is funded by The Department of Conservation (DoC) Jobs for Nature and aims to control predator pests, along with other threats to the wellbeing of this land. The successful reduction of pests presents a unique opportunity to return a taonga species to a significant proportion of its historic range by 2026; an exciting aim that resonates with everyone who engages and hears about the project.

Gerry migrated from South Africa in 2010 and has a background in science. 15 years ago, he decided on a change of career, taking the opportunity to pursue a career as a professional photographer. Gerry has always been passionate about teaching, so when the opportunity arose took up a position as photography lecturer at UCOL, where he has taught on various degree and certificate courses for the past 5 years. He also runs his own photography business, Sciencelens Ltd, focusing on photography in the science and technology domains.

Gerry is thoroughly enjoying volunteering for the project and is in awe of the scale and goals of what it hopes to achieve- over 4000 traps will be set, baited and checked as part of the project to reach its final aim.  As a runner and tramper he loves the opportunity to spend time in the mountains, with his wife, and to make a significant contribution to an important local project.