Te Korowai o Waiheke (TKOW) was the first initiative launched by the Waiheke Collective, with an ambitious vision - to make Waiheke the world’s first predator-free urban island.

Waiheke Collective established the TKOW Board of Trustees, responsible for governance, financial oversight, and accountability to funders. While the project now operates largely independently, it remains closely connected to the wider Waiheke Collective through its representative trustees.

Today, TKOW’s primary focus is eradicating stoats across the island, having also conducted trials exploring the feasibility of a full rat eradication in different habitats.

The results so far have been remarkable: native bird numbers have increased by 76% (2024 vs 2020), and with stoat numbers low, the island has seen a 388% rise in kākā and the exciting reintroduction of kiwi to Waiheke.