In a major milestone for local conservation, Judy Gilbert has announced she is stepping down from her role as Manager of the Windy Hill Rosalie Bay Catchment Trust and Windy Hill Sanctuary. After nearly thirty years of steadfast commitment, Gilbert leaves behind a thriving ecological legacy on Aotea Great Barrier Island.
Gilbert stated that “the time has now come for me to step down from my role as the Windy Hill Rosalie Bay Catchment Trust and Windy Hill Sanctuary Manager – work that I have remained steadfastly committed to for a long time”. She noted that “this moment brings with it a mix of pride, gratitude, and reflection on what has been an extraordinary chapter of my life”.
The Accidental Conservationist
Gilbert’s connection to the land began in 1972 when, at just 19 years old, she purchased a share of 230 hectares in the Little Windy Hill Company. She recalls that at the time, local conservation focused primarily on stopping land subdivision and protecting native bush.
“At 19, you never imagine that buying a share in a large remote property on Aotea Great Barrier Island will lead, by your mid-forties, to you living there, beginning a pest management project, and then devoting nearly three decades of your life to that work,” Gilbert said.
She notes that her initial expectations did not include the scaling up of the Trust’s financial and operational capacities over the subsequent decades. “You don’t imagine that you will be an employer of up to seven people at a time, be raising up to $300k per annum, be tuned in to cat scats, have a gun licence, and that the hunter in you will come alive,” she explained.
Gilbert added that she did not foresee how deeply attached she would become to the location over her tenure. “You don’t imagine this place will become your turangawaewae,” she remarked.
According to Gilbert, by the mid-1990s it became “clear that it was invasive animal pests that were decimating our bush and native species”. Spurred by the launch of the Government New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy in 2000, shareholders stepped up to the challenge, altering the course of Gilbert’s life forever.
Battling The Plague: The Management Perspective
Gilbert maintains that Aotea Great Barrier Island has long been “rat heaven – with only feral cats as their main predator the numbers here are classified as ‘plague'”. What started in 1999 with a single part-time worker and 100 rat traps quickly expanded into an extensive community effort.
Over 27 years of active pest management, project records state that the sanctuary has trapped more than 70,000 rats and removed an estimated 100,000 more through baiting. Today, the project area covers 800 hectares, encompassing 58 collaborating landowners and a dedicated field team.
Gilbert described the dramatic scaling of the program, noting that “what began in 1999 with 100 rat traps and a part time worker mushroomed over time into a collective of 58 landowners, a dedicated field team of up to five people, 6000 devices to cull rats and feral cats spread over 800 HA, sustained feral pig management, a comprehensive monitoring programme, and an exciting research and development focus”.
The operation now deploys 6,000 devices to cull rats and feral cats, alongside sustained feral pig management programs. Gilbert asserts that “together – landowners, the Trustees, the field and admin teams – we have transformed Windy Hill Sanctuary into a thriving and respected ecological and community asset”.
Three Decades Of Reported Scientific And Community Achievements
Among the reported highlights of Gilbert’s tenure is the translocation and return of the North Island robin. The sanctuary management also points to an extraordinary database tracking birds, lizards, invertebrates, and weta for over 20 years.
This immense effort has been backed by substantial funding, most notably over $1 million from Foundation North. The Aotea Great Barrier Local Board and Auckland Council have also provided significant long-term financial support to the project.
Gilbert emphasizes that these achievements reflect the collective perseverance of the trustees, landowners, and a 43-member field team engaged over the years. She termed this group “the engine room of the Sanctuary,” noting they have “diligently set thousands of rat traps and bait stations, cleared tracks and weeds, monitored species, often covering 15-20 kms a day to do so”.
She expressed professional satisfaction regarding the development of her staff over the years. “What a pleasure to watch new team members grow into conservation professionals and to have several people who cut their conservation teeth at Windy Hill now leading other community projects,” Gilbert stated.
Her long service to the local conservation space was formally recognized when she was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal (QSM).
Weathering The Storms And Building Character
The journey was not without significant trials, including what the trust identifies as shifting environmental pressures like myrtle rust and the impacts of climate change. Securing consistent funding required constant creativity, advocacy, and persistence from everyone involved.
Gilbert recalls her father’s wise words that these difficult moments were ultimately “all character building”. These challenges, in her view, strengthened the resolve of the team and fostered a culture of long-term strategic thinking.
A Gradual Handover And A New Chapter
While Gilbert is stepping down from her management responsibilities, she will remain actively engaged as a Trust Trustee. The leadership torch is being passed to Lou Mack, who takes over as the new Trust Manager.
To ensure what the trust describes as a seamless transition, a gradual two-and-a-half-year handover period was utilized. Gilbert stated that “the handover has been gradual, two and a half years has been allowed for her to gather the reigns and for me to let them go”.
She expresses absolute confidence that Mack will carry on the vital mahi of restoration and fundraising with integrity. “I will remain engaged as a Trustee with the confidence that Lou Mack, the new Trust Manager, will carry on the mahi of restoration, community engagement, and fund raising with integrity and expertise,” Gilbert affirmed.
Reflecting on her journey, Gilbert describes the role as “one of the most rewarding experiences of my life”. She also highlighted smaller personal moments from her time on the land, such as “the simple joy of finding baby Pacific geckos in my letterbox”.
She openly acknowledged that the multi-decade effort brought significant personal challenges. “There have also been moments of fatigue and doubt-but always outweighed by a sense of purpose because once we started on this journey, we couldn’t stop, not until Aotea Great Barrier is pest free allowing our stunning range of native species to really thrive,” Gilbert stated.
She notes that her “heart sings” to see new Iwi leadership emerging to restore the mauri of Aotea through pest eradication. Gilbert added, “As I pass the flame, I do so with confidence in the future of the Trust and Windy Hill Sanctuary”.
Judy expressed deep gratitude to the wider community, as well as her husband Scott and son Guy for their unwavering support. She now looks forward to focusing on a brand new, equally rewarding role: becoming a grandmother.
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Well done Judy Gilbert – so proud of you.
And thank you Will Trafford for this beaut article
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