Wairarapa Key Native Ecosystem Management Areas - Greater ...

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• Inform Greater Wellington of any incidences or interference involving toxic bait, bait stations, traps or signage. 2. Objectives • To maintain the possum population to a level below a 5% Residual Trap Catch (RTC) and encourage native bush regeneration and seed dispersal to outlying areas. • Possum monitoring was carried out in March 2006. Three trap lines consisting of 10 traps each over three nights resulted in no possums being caught. • To reduce predator numbers, resulting in a build up of native birds. 3. Operational area Approximately 29 hectares of regenerating/remnant native bush, sited west of Carterton on Cobden Road. Altitude ranges from 110 metres around the Upper Belvedere entrance, rising up to the main high point at 170 metres. On the western boundary of this forest remnant is a wetland area. Mudfish discovered several years ago have added to its importance. Forest and Bird members have carried out pest plant control and this year have completed a major planting and revegetation programme. The wetlands project has been a learning curve for the Forest and Bird members. Their early plantings of mänuka, kahikatea and some species of coprosma’s literally drowned due to high water levels. The water course through the wetland has now been cleaned out, water levels controlled, and carex have been planted right the way along the drain. This has resulted in the area drying out and the plantings are now thriving. With the exclusion of stock, and the continuing pest animal and pest plant control, the understory is regenerating well. Fensham Reserve is a fine example of remnant lowland forest on a flood plain which contrasts with the regenerating and older areas. PAGE 8 OF 44 WGN_DOCS-#609098-V1
4. History An assessment of this site was carried out in December 1998 and received a priority score of 6. Initially Fensham Reserve was worked as part of the Carterton West bovine Tb operation. Past records for this possum control programme were very basic, but records show work commenced in 1992 and various methods of control were used in and around the Reserve. In 1999 possum work started as part of the KNEMA programme. This included using Timms traps and Brodifacoum possum pellets fed through Kilmore bait stations. Greater Wellington supplied materials and Forest and Bird Society members carried out the control work. 5. Operational procedures During the 2007/08 financial year, possum and predator control work was carried out much the same as in previous years. Due to weathering and deterioration, information posters and warning signs were replaced. As in the previous year, 20kg of 20pp waxed Brodifacoum possum pellets were fed through Kilmore bait stations. These bait stations were serviced by Forest and Bird Society members. Predator control for 2007/08 was carried out using No. 4 Fenn traps in conjunction with Philproof tunnels. This work was carried out by Greater Wellington staff due to the difficulty Forest and Bird members experienced setting this style of trap. Their volunteer numbers have fallen away, and the remaining group are quite aged. There has been a problem with trap interference and removal of traps by a member of the public over the past 12 months. Hopefully this has now been sorted by shifting trap sites away from the walking tracks. No rabbit control was carried out this year due to lack of seedling damage and low rabbit numbers. In previous years while planting was being carried out pindone carrot was laid to prevent damage to new plantings. 6. Operational results Greater Wellington Monitoring and Investigations (M&I) staff carry out regular monitoring using inkpads and tunnels to determine rat densities. Fensham WGN_DOCS-#609098-V1 PAGE 9 OF 44 Tracking Index 100.00% 80.00% 60.00% 40.00% 20.00% 0.00% Jan-03 May-03 Sep-03 Jan-04 May-04 Sep-04 Jan-05 May-05 Sep-05 Jan-06 May-06 Sep-06 Jan-07 May-07 Sep-07 Jan-08 Month Rats Mice
Page 1 and 2: Wairarapa Key Native Ecosystem Mana
Page 3 and 4: Linkwood Bush 15 24. Executive summ
Page 5 and 6: Tauherenikau Bush 27 69. Executive
Page 7: Fensham Reserve 1. Executive summar
Page 11 and 12: Lake Nganoke 9. Executive summary T
Page 13 and 14: Lake Pounui 16. Executive summary T
Page 15 and 16: Linkwood Bush 24. Executive summary
Page 17 and 18: 31. Discussion 31.1 Endangered plan
Page 19 and 20: change in the type of crops grown h
Page 21 and 22: Pikes Lagoon 44. Executive summary
Page 23 and 24: Solway Park Bush 53. Executive summ
Page 25 and 26: Sulphur Wells 60. Executive summary
Page 27 and 28: Tauherenikau Bush 69. Executive sum
Page 29 and 30: Enhancement planting of native tree
Page 31 and 32: 76. Costs Set out below is a breakd
Page 33 and 34: predator control. It also forms par
Page 35 and 36: Tora Coast Bush 87. Executive summa
Page 37 and 38: Not a lot to show for our predator
Page 39 and 40: Waihora 96. Executive summary This
Page 41 and 42: 103. Discussion 103.1 Waihora Watch
Page 43 and 44: There has been little evidence of p

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