Creating safe spaces for wildlife to thrive means benefit for the local community too. This week, two stories on that theme.

We know humans benefit when biodiversity flourishes. This week, Claire Concannon brings us two stories about providing sanctuary for fish, and how local communities also gain from these spaces.

Listen to DOC ranger Tim Shaw and Mountains to Sea director Zoe Studd on Our Changing World

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Marine Reserve Sightseeing

Marine reserves are areas in the ocean completely protected from sea surface to seafloor - safe spaces for marine life to flourish. But, compared to a stroll through a protected area of bush or wetland, it's a bit harder to notice wildlife returning.

The Mountains to Sea Wellington group acts as 'Tinder for nature' - connecting people and te taiao. Some of their summer activities include community snorkel days, a free opportunity for local Wellingtonians to get to know the underwater wildlife in their backyards.

After taking part in one of the snorkel events at Island Bay in Wellington, Claire sits down with executive director Zoe Studd to find out more about the work of the group, the community snorkel days, and the changes she has seen after 14 years of the Taputeranga Marine Reserve.

Making Space for Inanga

New Zealand's native migratory freshwater fish are not having a good time.

The inanga's habitat is being destroyed as they also suffer due to poor water quality, dams and culverts block their way, they get eaten by introduced fish, and each year their juveniles are fished as whitebait. Unsurprisingly, their numbers are in decline.

The West Coast sustainable wild whitebait fisheries project aims to help the threatened whitebait species (inanga, kōaro, and the giant, banded and short jaw kōkopu), by providing more and better habitats for them along the South Island's West Coast.

Having received Mahi mō te Taiao/Jobs for Nature funding, the project, led by the West Coast Regional Council, is working with Conservation Volunteers New Zealand and the Department of Conservation to create a whitebait sanctuary on an 18-hectare site at Wadeson Island just outside Hokitika. In addition, fish passage assessment, weeding and fencing will take place on rivers and streams along the coast.

The West Coast sustainable wild whitebait fisheries project team involves representatives from: DOC, University of Canterbury, West Coast Regional Council, Ngāti Waewae, Te Rūnanga o Maakawhio, West Coast Whitebaiters Association, West Coast Conservation Board and commercial whitebaiters.

To learn more: …

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details