The vision for the Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust is ……

To remove forever, introduced mammalian pests and predators from Maungatautari, and restore to the forest a healthy diversity of indigenous plants and animals not seen in our lifetime.

The Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust has been formed to re-establish a healthy diversity of indigenous plants and animals on the mountain. The Trustees have either grown up, or now live under, the shadow of the mountain and want to see the current decline in forest health reversed.

Their aim is to restore the dawn chorus, to fill the forest to capacity with native birds, insects, reptiles, frogs and other wildlife, and to share it with all New Zealanders.

The Trustees recognise that the only sure way to achieve this is to remove every last warm-blooded pest...permanently. Only then can we protect the mana of the mountain and the mauri (life-force) of the forest.

"For hundreds of years Maungatautari has been a source of life for both Maori and Pakeha. Now it is time to give back to our mountain what we have taken away" Peter Tairi - Chairman Maungatautari Marae