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News >>> Newsletter >>> May 2008
Newsletter - May 2008
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The Bay of Plenty
Conservation Kõrero
May 2008
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Greetings!
Cats and dogs are theflavour of the moment for me - it's been raining,a bit. But there's also the fact that our companion animals are darned good at teaching us about how to behave (if we just overlook how they impact on the conservation estate for a moment). Giving the cata stroke, or pattingFido elicits a purr or a waging tail and does us both the world of good.
It works for humans too - just say thanks and watch for the smile. That's what the Bay of Plenty Conservation Awards are about; a way of us saying weappreciate the efforts you are making to help us do our work, and you learning you're welcome on our side of the catflap. So make your nomination and come on in - we'd love toshare your company while we reflect on the work we've all achieved.
Protect, Enjoy, Be Involved
Steve Brightwell
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Hard work pays off for Whirinaki kaka
A cacophony of kaka calls can be heard to ring out around the Whirinaki Forest Park at dawn and dusk.
This is due to intensively managing 1000 hectares of podocarp forest nestled within the Whirinaki Forest Park since 2004 to restore this rare ecosystem.
Threatened Species Ranger Sarah King and her team have recently completed their annual survey of kaka found within the Whirinaki Ecological Management Zone (WEMZ) and counted 365 birds. The same survey undertaken last year counted just 157 kaka.
Kaka are sporadic breeders as they do not nest every year, buttime their nesting for years when rimu and kahikatea trees are in fruit. This is on average every third or fourth year. During a breeding year both juveniles and adult female kaka are susceptible to predations by stoats, rats and possums whilst in the nest hollow and in the first few weeks after they fledge and learn to fly.
Funding from Transpower has enabled Sarah and her team to monitor the kaka juveniles through the breading season. This included the fitting of 15 transmitters to juvenile birds. Only two out of the 15 juveniles were killed by predators over the season, leading to an 87% survival rate, this is an excellent result and proves that the pest control is doing the job.
"I am really excited about the future of this project," Sarah said. "Visitors to the area that I talk to are just amazed about the almost deafening dawn chorus of birdsong that is present in the forest now. This really is the proof in the pudding that our philosophy towards whole ecosystem management is paying off." |
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The big winner is... CONSERVATION
We all know Father Time marches on relentlessly, mustelids never sleep and a weeding in time avoids a convovulus vine. BUT that's no reason to miss out on getting in a nomination for the 2008 Bay of Plenty Conservation Awards.
The Bay of Plenty Conservation Board, in association with the Department of Conservation Bay of Plenty Conservancy, wants to hear about all the wonderful work that's been going on in the name of keeping New Zealand green, natural and unique.
Whether the project is a big one like saving a forest or estuary, or as small as growing a few seeds from rare and endangered plants, we want to hear about it, toast your achievements and sing your praises.
There are eight categories which pretty much cover everyone:
- Habitat Restoration (e.g. tree planting, riparian planting or pest control work)
- Recreation (e.g. hut wardens, maintenance or development of huts, tracks or bridges)
- Conservation Education and Advocacy (e.g. development of conservation education material or local conservation campaigns to promote awareness)
- Kaitiakitanga (e.g. bird rescue, animal hospitals or looking after a reserve)
- Historic heritage (e.g. restoration or conservation work on historic buildings, sites or other historic features)
- Innovation (e.g. bright new conservation initiatives)
- Young conservationist (e.g. school planting projects)
- Business in Conservation (e.g. a business where whose commitment to conservation goes above and beyond what is normally found).
Nominations close Friday May 16. So get on with it! |
Taking your dog hunting this season?
Dogs pose a serious threat to the recovery of our iconic Kiwi. In 2003, 9 out of 16 Kiwi monitored in the Te Urewera National Park were killed by dogs. By having your dog Kiwi aversion trained, you can seriously reduce the risk of your dog killing Kiwi.
Kiwi aversion trainings are run regularly throughout the Bay of Plenty. At a recent training at the Tikitapu Scenic Reserve near Rotorua, where the community takes a very active conservation role,more than30 dogs were trained. For the majority this wasn't their first time. Dogs need to be re-trained yearly forthree years before they get the permanent okay from trainer Tiki Hutchins.
Tiki, a pig hunter from Opotiki, was the first to run these trainings but now others have got themselves competent in the training techniques, so hopefully for the Kiwi the trainings will happen more regularly.
Kiwi aversion training is also a requirement if you wish to hunt many of the Department of Conservation reserves including the Te Urewera National Park and the Tongariro Forest Conservation Area. Although not all areas require it, the department is moving towards gazetting some areas with dog restrictions which would require your dog to have participated in the Kiwi aversion training.
Kiwi aversion training is a small price to pay for helping our national bird. For information on a training near you, email bayofplenty@doc.govt.nz
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World Environment Day: June 5
Date sound familiar? Well, of course it does - it's Arbour Day. But this year for the first time New Zealand is taking part in the United Nations Environment Programme'sWorld Environment Day and this year's theme - "Kick the habit! Towards a low carbon economy". Sounds like a great idea to us here in the Bay of Plenty Conservancy, so we've organised something to mark the occasion. In conjunction with one ofthe brilliant environment care groups for the region -the Ohiwa Reserve Care Group, andWaiotahe Valley School , we invite you to a day of planting out on Whangakopikopiko Wildlife Refuge Reserve in Ohiwa Harbour.
When? 5 June from 9am onwards. Contact Mike at the Whakatane Field Centre on 07 308 7095, or mjones@doc.govt.nzif you would like some more information.
We're pretty excited about the day - we have close to 3000 Thornton kanuka seedlings to go out onto the island - it's our only Bay of Plenty endemic plant, which also happens to be highly endangered.
For a full list of events happening somewhere near you, click here
. And remember - you don't have to attend an event to make a difference. See if you can step back to 1979 with a carless day. Or organise a car pool with your colleagues, friends and whanau. Or plant a native tree or two in your backyard... the ideas are endless.
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Virgo: Nice things will happen to you. You will flourish and be rich with biodiversity.
If only predicting the future for conservation in the Bay of Plenty were that simple. Of course it isn't and that's why the Conservancy has produced its draft Conservation Management Strategy (CMS) - a document that maps the next 10 years of work.
The CMS draws on the thoughts and aspirations of many within the community, as well as abiding by the demands of the relevant legislation to produce a picture of the most significant conservation places and what outcomes are desired for them.
The document is not perfect and still requires fine-tuning to make sure the community supports what the department will do.
To make sure of that theCMS was publicly notified on March 10with submissions closing soon - on May 9.So get involved. |
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Kaimai upgrades on track
The Department's new three-zoned approach to managing visitor facilities in the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park is working well.Work to bring tracks and huts up to standard in the northern (Karangahake Gorge to Wharawhara) and central (Wharawhara-Wairere),zones isalmost complete.
Park users can now enjoy more clearly definedtracks andmore easily find their way around, thanks to the installation of new directional signage such as thaton the Karangahake Walkway and Windows Walks. The Te Rereatukahia hut is looking spic and span with its new roof, paintwork, water tank and deck. Full details of track conditions plus recent and planned work is available in our Autumn Track Update.
The focus for 2008/09 will be on maintenance & upgrades in the southern zone (Wairere and south, including the Opuiaki Ecological Area(scene of amazing kokako work - see next story), Otanewainuku(fantastic kiwi project), Otawa and Kaituna). A new bridge, (opened in November last year)over the first river crossing on the Waitawheta Tramway has greatly improved visitor access on this track. It is nowproposed to also bridge crossings three and four; feedback on this proposal is welcome - please communicate your thoughts regarding this to Chris Clark, Visitor Assets Programme Manager, Tauranga Area Office, email: 
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Saving the songs of Opuiaki 
Five years of animal pest control in the Opuiaki Ecological Area is paying off for the forest and its inhabitants which include
North Island kokako (pictured), kaka, brown kiwi and many other endangered species of native plants and animals.
Results from the 07/08 season are in and suggest that forest health has greatly improved. The number of kokako pair has more than doubled in the last three years from six to fifteen and the total population now numbers at least 49 individuals - a dramatic increase from 27 recorded in 2003, when pest control commenced.
The Department uses a number of monitoring tools to determine the effect of pest control on forest health, including a census of kokako numbers and breeding success.
Young kokako are particularly vulnerable to predation by rats and possums; a growing breeding population of kokako usually indicates that other forest species are doing well also. | |
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More useful stuff...
Department of Conservation National Website
www.destinationoutdoors.co.nz Bay of Plenty public recreation facilities
Tell us what you think about Conservation Kõrero
Take our quick survey or arrange for a hard copy for a friend. |
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Contact us at:
Tauranga Area Office
253 Chadwick Rd
Tauranga
07 578 7677 |
Rangitaiki Area Office
State Highway 38
Murupara
07 366 1080 |
Rotorua Lakes Area Office
99 Sala St
Rotorua
07 349 7400 |
Bay of Plenty Conservancy Office, 99 Sala St, Rotorua. Phone 07 349 7400
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