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Toi Toi Wines on a Mission to Save NZ’s Rarest Birds

Published: Wed 17 Jul 2019 09:37 AM
Toi Toi Wines on a Mission to Save NZ’s Rarest Birds as Mega Mast Crisis Puts Their Future in Jeopardy
Toi Toi Wines and conservation organisation, Forest & Bird have come together to help save New Zealand’s rarest birds during the current ‘mega mast’ crisis. The heavy seeding event, the biggest in 45 years, is putting thousands of the country’s rarest native birds at risk.
Keen to do something to help, the family owned New Zealand wine brand will be providing a donation to support Forest and Bird with every bottle of wine sold from the Toi Toi range, now until 30 September 2019.
To thank customers for their support, Toi Toi is also launching a competition to win two night’s accommodation for up to four people at Forest & Bird’s Mt. Ruapehu nature reserve lodge.
Kevin Joyce, owner of Toi Toi Wines, approached Forest & Bird after learning that a number of highly endangered native birds are being threatened by the heavy seeding (masting) of the country’s beech and rimu trees, and tussock, this year. Forest & Bird has warned that this will result in a plague of rats, followed by an invasion of stoats by spring.
Kevin was especially moved by the plight of the critically threatened native Orange Fronted Parakeet/Kākāriki, which is especially susceptible to predation by introduced rats and stoats and is therefore at a high risk of immediate extinction with just 100-300 birds left.
“One of our most important winery core values is Kaitiaki - guardianship of our lands for future generations. We want our children to live in a world that still has these beautiful native New Zealand birds in it,” explains Kevin.
“We’re hoping that our fundraising efforts will raise awareness among Kiwis that might not be aware of how critical the situation is for birds like the Kākāriki. With their help, we can help stop these species disappearing from the New Zealand landscape. All they need to do is buy a bottle of wine and they can be confident that they will be making a difference. We have also donated to the Orange Fronted Kākāriki Conservation Fund to protect the three alpine beech forest valleys of Canterbury - the Hawdon, Poulter and Hurunui valleys – which is the only remaining habitat for these birds. We encourage others to do the same.”
“Most of New Zealand’s conservation forests will be affected without predator control during this mast year – set to be the biggest in over four decades. It’s clear that New Zealanders are really concerned, they are rallying to do what they can in regions throughout the country” says Jo Prestwood, of Forest & Bird.
Toi Toi is raising awareness of the fundraising campaign with specially designed neck tags on all of its wine bottles. These can be found in every major New Zealand supermarket, including Countdown, New World, Pak n Save, and Four Square. Toi Toi wine can also be purchased from online store, Blackmarket and the West Auckland Trust liquor stores.
Anyone that purchases a bottle of Toi Toi wine can enter the competition to stay at Forest & Bird’s Mt. Ruapehu Lodge by scanning the QR code on the wine bottle’s neck tag or entering via the Toi Toi Wines website. The winners will be drawn on 1 October 2019.
Family owned by Kevin and Sara Joyce, Toi Toi Wines, (pronounced Toy Toy), is inspired by New Zealand’s natural beauty and awe-inspiring flora and fauna. The brand creates quality, distinctive New Zealand wines by sourcing premium varietals from the regions in which they are most renowned, such as Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Central Otago Pinot Noir.
For more information on Toi Toi Wines, the people and the products visit toitoiwines.co.nz. Wine lovers can also follow the brand on Facebook and Instagram.
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