Our Conservation Story

learn more about our Commitment to conservation

Greg Hay’s Conservation Legacy

Greg’s commitment to conservation stretches back decades. As early as 1990, while involved with Chard Farm, he was helping raise and release injured Kārearea (New Zealand Falcons). Since then, he has served as a trustee of both the Fiordland Conservation Trust and the Eastern Falcon Trust, providing opportunities for a remarkable hands-on involvement in some of New Zealand’s most significant bird recovery initiatives.

Over the years, this work has included the capture, relocation and release of some of our most vulnerable native species, often into remote, predator-free island sanctuaries. These projects have included:

  • Kārearea (New Zealand Falcon): Several chick relocations from the Wingspan Birds of Prey Centre in Rotorua to locations throughout the Whakatipu and Hāwea regions.

  • Tīeke (South Island Saddleback): Numerous relocations, including from Breaksea Island to Chalky Island, Breaksea Island to Bauza Island in Doubtful Sound, and from Ulva Island, Stewart Island, to Orokonui Ecosanctuary near Dunedin.

  • Pīwauwau (Rock Wren): The capture and transfer of these rare alpine birds from the Murchison Mountains near Te Anau to Resolution Island.

  • Mohua (Yellowhead): In 2011, one particularly memorable project involved capturing approximately 60 Mohua from the Landsborough Valley near Haast and transporting them by helicopter to Resolution Island in Dusky Sound.

This final project holds special historical significance. It marked the first time endemic birds had been transferred onto Resolution Island since the pioneering conservation efforts of Richard Henry between 1893 and 1907, undertaken aboard his dinghy, Putangi.

These achievements represent far more than individual conservation projects. They are part of a legacy of dedication, determination and practical action to protect the unique wildlife of Aotearoa.

For Greg and the Wet Jacket crew, conservation is not simply a responsibility; it is a privilege, a passion and an enduring commitment to ensuring that future generations can experience the extraordinary natural heritage of New Zealand.

Putangi Wines – A Wine that Makes You Feel

Wet Jacket Wines has has entered into a conservation collaboration with Real NZ, Fiordland’s iconic tourism and adventure operator. Initially focused on projects in Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound, this partnership reflects our enduring commitment to protecting the extraordinary natural environment that surrounds us.

Through our conservation label, Putangi Wines, Greg’s vision of bringing the remarkable conservation work taking place throughout Fiordland to a wider audience has become a reality. These wines tell a story that extends far beyond the glass — one of dedication, discovery and the determination to protect New Zealand’s precious native wildlife.

That story is deeply connected to Richard Henry, New Zealand’s pioneering avian conservationist. In the late 19th century, Henry spent years rowing around Dusky Sound and Wet Jacket Arm, rescuing Kiwi and Kākāpō and transferring them to Resolution Island in the hope of providing a safe haven from introduced predators.

Having witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of rats, ferrets and stoats on our native birdlife, Henry understood that time was running out. His determination led him to pioneer the revolutionary concept of “the island as a life raft” — using isolated islands as predator-free refuges where vulnerable species could survive and thrive.

His vision was extraordinary for its time and continues to inspire conservation efforts throughout Aotearoa today.

Ao-ata-te-po /Cooper Island Project

The Wet Jacket Wines crew are proud to volunteer alongside Real NZ and the Department of Conservation (DOC) on Cooper Island, Dusky Sound, and Herrick Creek in Wet Jacket Arm.

Working together, our team help to reset and rebait more than 1,000 traps as part of an ongoing stoat and rat control programme, supporting the protection of Fiordland’s precious native wildlife.

This work is also helping prepare for the planned translocation of Kiwi Pukupuku (Little Spotted Kiwi) in 2028. A rare and incredibly special opportunity to play a hands-on role in securing the future of one of Aotearoa’s most treasured native species.

At Wet Jacket, we’re proud to be more than just wine, we’re part of the conservation story. Since 2022, through our cellar door tasting fee donations and $10 from every bottle of Putangi Wine sold onboard a Real NZ vessel, together we have raised over $150,000 for conservation and counting.