About AIMERT
Science-led. Community-driven. Here for the long haul.
The Aldermen Islands Marine Ecology Restoration Trust was formed by a small group of divers, scientists, and conservationists who refused to watch one of New Zealand's most extraordinary marine environments quietly disappear.
Our purpose
Why we exist
The Aldermen Islands sit at the intersection of two ecological crises: the collapse of kelp reef systems driven by urchin barrens, and the ongoing pressure on island wildlife from introduced predators and habitat loss. Neither problem is new. Both are solvable.
AIMERT was established to do the work that falls between the mandates of government agencies and the capacity of individual researchers — sustained, place-based restoration that requires years of commitment, specialist knowledge, and a community of people who care deeply about this particular place.
We operate as a registered charitable trust. Our work is guided by science, carried out by trained volunteers and professional researchers, and funded entirely by donations and grants.
How we operate
Our principles.
Science first
Every intervention we make is designed as a research project. We measure before we act, monitor continuously, and publish our findings so the wider conservation community can learn from what we do.
Long-term commitment
Ecological restoration takes decades, not seasons. We are structured for permanence — building institutional knowledge, training the next generation of practitioners, and maintaining presence at the islands year after year.
Open participation
The citizen science model is not a compromise — it is the point. Trained volunteer divers and field workers bring capacity we could not otherwise afford, and they leave with a connection to the natural world that lasts a lifetime.
Honest reporting
We report what we find, not what we hoped to find. When results are inconclusive or interventions underperform, we say so. Donors and partners deserve accurate information.
Methodology
How we work
Our projects combine rigorous scientific methodology with a practical, hands-on approach to restoration.
Baseline survey
Before any intervention, we map the reef in detail — recording species composition, kina density, kelp coverage, and fish populations across the full study area. This baseline is the reference point against which all future change is measured.
Targeted intervention
We design interventions to be reversible, measurable, and ecologically sound. For the Sugarloaf Rocks kina removal project, this means whole-reef clearance using manual techniques, with a special fisheries permit and strict protocols to ensure diver safety and data integrity.
Continuous monitoring
Recovery is tracked through regular dive surveys over a minimum three-year period. We monitor kelp recruitment, kina re-colonisation rates, fish community changes, and invertebrate diversity — building a dataset that will inform restoration practice across New Zealand.
Knowledge sharing
Findings are written up for peer-reviewed publication and shared with DOC, MPI, and the wider marine conservation community. We want the methods and results from Sugarloaf Rocks to be replicable at other kina barren sites around the country.
Governance
The people behind the work
AIMERT is governed by a board of founding trustees drawn from marine science, conservation management, and the local diving community. Day-to-day operations are led by a small core team supported by a growing network of trained volunteers.
Founding Trustee & Vessel Master
Norman Holtzhausen
Norman has dived the Aldermen Islands at various times over the past two decades and skippered the vessel DiveCat for the last 6 years. His knowledge of the local reef system continues to grow, and his commitment to the project is the practical foundation on which everything else rests.
Board of Trustees
Founding Trustees
The AIMERT board brings together expertise in marine ecology, fisheries science, island conservation, and charitable governance. Trustees serve in a voluntary capacity and provide strategic oversight, scientific direction, and accountability to donors and the public.
Be part of the restoration.
AIMERT runs entirely on the generosity of donors and the commitment of volunteers. Whether you give financially or give your time, you are directly funding the science that will determine the future of these reefs.