Zealand, the Friends of Mana Island, tramping clubs and school children. This effort has resulted in it being selected as one of the top ecological restoration projects in Australasia by the Global Ecological Restoration Network. Seedlings from a radius of the island are brought to the plant nursery where they are raised until ready for planting out. Although over half a million native plants have been established under a planting programme, two-thirds of island will remain in grass and coastal shrublands. Planting has been mostly in gullies and sheltered parts of the island, which experiences strong winds. The strategy has been to plant native shrubs in connecting corridors. This suits most bird life and allows for natural regeneration. The plantings have been mainly of hardy pioneer species best able to withstand the rigorous conditions. When there has been enough shelter established, the forest area will be inter-planted with a variety of less robust species to establish a typical Wellington coastal forest. Animals The island is a scientific reserve holding many native animals and plants that are rare on the mainland. Notable species on the island include the Cook Strait giant wētā, shore plover, North Island robin, takahē, Wellington green gecko, yellow-crowned parakeet, and brown teal. The most recent example is the critically endangered Wellington speargrass weevil from the Wellington South Coast in 2006. The Department of Conservation and the Friends group also collaborated on a five-year program to establish the threatened tūturuatu / shore plover on the island. The birds, of which only about 200 remain in the wild, were sourced from a captive population at the Pukaha / Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre. A rat exterminated the population in 2011 and another attempt at reintroduction in 2020 failed after attacks by a kārearea/New Zealand falcon. Mana Island was formerly home to translocated kākāpō. After the kākāpō recovery plan was established in 1995, one of the first actions was to move kākāpō to the island. The last two males found on Stewart Island were moved to the island. Both of the males released onto the island died, suggesting that the island may not be suitable for the kākāpō. However, the birds were also at an extremely light weight when moved to the island, which might have been a factor. Planned projects include the transfer to the island of a wide range of other species, many of which are rare and