South Otago Forest & Bird volunteer Catriona Gower was named one of six volunteers of the year at organisation’s annual honours. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Catriona Gower understands how important it is for everyone to develop a love for New Zealand’s unique wildlife.

It is that conviction that has led to her being awarded a 2026 Forest & Bird Tī Kōuka Award for her exceptional service to the South Otago Branch.

Affectionately known as the "Bat Lady", Mrs Gower set up a long-term pekapeka-tou-roa long-tailed bat survey programme in the Catlins and popular bat walks.

Her knowledge of, and advocacy for, the rare bat population led to her establishing the Catlins Bat Project in 2014.

She set up long-term transect surveys and year-round bat activity monitoring across the district and popular annual summer bat evenings.

A Canterbury long-tailed bat. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

She was the driving force behind Long Yellow Ribbon, a riparian revegetation project — the ribbons being the kōwhai and ribbonwood trees that once were a feature along Owaka River.

She grew hundreds of seedlings and organised working bees to plant them along the river margins as well as encouraging local farmers to get involved in the riparian planting.

Recently she organised Kiwi Conservation Club activities; two art exhibitions "On the Brink" and "Art at the Nuggets", and the Matuku Muster — searching for bitterns.

A citation for the award said she was always looking for an opportunity to advocate for nature and encouraging people to enjoy being in te taiao.

Through the year, Mrs Gower organised fun community events focusing on enjoying Catlins wildlife and habitats.

Catriona Gower at the Owaka Museum opening of a small exhibition in 2021 about the Catlins’ Bats on the map programme and the work done on it. PHOTO: ALLIED MEDIA FILES

She also promotes South Otago branch’s mahi in a local quarterly newsletter — and includes a note on a "weed of the season" each time.

Mrs Gower said she appreciated being part of the "wonderful, supportive" community of the Catlins and being trusted to share the joy that wildlife gave her with others.

"My highlights have been to hear of local children who have stopped their parents felling trees ‘because they might have bats in them’; and getting texts from farmers who have seen a bittern, or heard a bird they thought I might be able to ID for them, when they would never have noticed the birds before."

The five other Tī Kōuka award recipients this year are: Raewyn Morrison (Warkworth Area Branch); Jane McLeod (Waikato Branch); Anthea McClelland (Manawatū Branch); Tim Robson (Nelson-Tasman Branch) and Mick Ingram (North Canterbury Branch).

The winners are nominated by their branches for the award, which is named after the cabbage tree which symbolises longevity and persistence.

The awards were announced at Forest & Bird’s AGM at the weekend. — Allied Media