a research laboratory, a new woolshed, hay barns, a mating shed, equipment buildings, accommodation and diesel generators to provide electricity, while two windmills were installed to pump ground up the surface. By 1976 the sheep population had grown to 2,500 when on 28 September of that year a suspected scrapie (a very contagious and debilitating condition) was detected. An estimated 280 sheep were slaughtered, burnt and buried. After another suspected outbreak of scrapie in 1979 all 2,000 of the sheep on the island were slaughtered and the facility abandoned. For the next five years a strict quarantine was imposed on the island by the Lands and Survey Department, who following the departure of the research staff had sole responsibility for the island. They established a cattle farm on the island in order to use bulls to keep the grass down in order to reduce the fire risk. Restrictions still remained in place as to who and what could both visit and be taken of the island. Following a land-use study a proposal was made in 1986 by the Lands and Survey Department for the island to be reverted for conservation purposes to bush and forest. This was agreed to and the remaining livestock was removed. In 1987 the island was designated as a scientific reserve and its ownership transferred to new New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC). Conservation In 1987 the first takahē were introduced to the island. Following a proposal by the Wellington branch of the Forest & Bird Society a seven month long eradication program (which began in July 1989) removed all mice from the island. Following its completion the first tree planting began, with over 500,000 trees being planted so far by volunteers, with the peak year being 1996 when approximately 30,000 were planted. Subsequently, a wetland on the island was restored and several threatened bird, lizard and plant species translocated to Mana. A ranger from DOC lives on the island, which has its own native plant nursery, electric generator and boat shed. The DOC staff haul their boat out of the water up a ramp with a winch. Some structures on the island provide habitat for native animals; for example, little penguins roost under the old woolshed. Habitat restoration The restoration program has been characterised by a high level of community involvement, led by groups such as the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New